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FIRST BISHOP OF PHIIvADELPHI A. 
Born 1761 ; Consecrated i8ro ; Died 1814. 



HISTORY 



OF 



Rt. Rev. Michael Egan, D.D 



FIRST BISHOP OF PHIIvADELPHIA. 



BY 



MARTIN I. J. GRIKKIN. 



PHILADELPHIA : 
1893. 









% > 
•if 



-3 



HISTORY OF 

% RT. REV. MICHAEL EGAN D. D., 

FIRST BISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA. 

BY Martin I. J. GRirriN. 

DIVISION L 

PHILADELPHIA AND THE COADJCTTORSHIP TO BISHOP CARROLL. 
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SEE OF PHILADELPHIA. 

The commanding importance of the Church in Philadelphia suggests 
an inquiry into the formation of the See. Passing by the narration of Bishop 
Carroll's jurisdiction over the territory out of which the diocese of Phila- 
delphia was constituted, and but a portion of which is now comprised in 
the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and its suffragan Sees, inquiry may be made 
into the subdivision of the original jurisdiction of the first Bishop of Balti- 
more and the erection of the Diocese of Philadelphia. In May, 1793. Bishop 
Carroll petitioned Rome to have as coadjutor, with the right of succession, 
the Rev. Lawrence Graessl of Philadelphia. On December 8th, 1793, His 
Holiness granted the petition. (Documents in "American Catholic 
Historical Researches," October, 1888.) 

Father Graessl was then in ill health. On June 19th, he wrote to his 
parents and relatives in Germany, "Nothing could make me more disquit- 
ted than this news. But God has heard my prayer. He will take this bur- 
den from me, unworthy as I am, and give it to one more worthy." 

Whilst my name, that of my biithplace, is on the way to Rome to re- 
ceive the Pope's approval, I shall leave the world to rest forever from the 
sufferings of my short, earthly pilgrimage. My business now is to suffer 
patiently and to die happily." (U. S. Cath. His Mag. Vol. 1, p 7.) 

So it proved for Father Graessl fell a victim of the yellow fever and 
died in October, 1793. Though in ill health he, in September, attended his 
New Jersey mission where,as he wrote, "I contracted my sickness on my last 
mission through the sandy roads on a hot Summer's day." On September 



19th, at Charlottenburg, h« married John Philip Secholzer and Mary Vin- 
yard. This was his last record. 

In January 1794 the Propaganda sent notification to Father Graessl of 
his appointment, but we have seen, he was then dead. The propaganda in- 
formed him "that the Supreme Pontiff reserved full liberty, should the wel- 
fare of souls at any time demand it, of dividing the diocese of Baltimore in- 
to other Episcopal Sees even during the lifetime of Bishop Carroll, even 
though he should, unreasonably, be opposed to such division. (Documents 
in Am. Cath. His. Kesearches, Oct. 1888.] 

Bishop Carroll was required "to bind his coadjutor never to put himself 
in opposition to the erection of new Sees." He had asked for the division 
of his See, but it was not granted, as Propaganda regarded the appointment 
of a coadjutor sufficient. 

On September 21st, 1793, Bishop Carroll represented to Rome "that 
large numbers of sectarians will be present at the consecration" of his coad- 
jutor "to hear and misinterpret whatever they can." So he petitioned that 
the words "I will to the utmost of my power seek out and oppose heretics, 
schismatics and the enemies of our Sovereign Lord and his successors" 
should be stricken out of the oath. On August 2d 1794, permission was 
given "to omit the aforesaid words in the oath and use in their stead the 
form which has been granted to the Bishops of Ireland and to the Arch- 
bishop of Mohilow," (in Little Russia). 

On July 3d 1794 Bishop Carroll notified Propaganda of the death of 
Father Graessl "of the plague contracted while assisting others stricken 
with the same disease." , 

On October 15th, 1794, Bishop Carroll informed Rome "that after con- 
ferring with the larger and more respectable portion of his clergy he has 
chosen and recommends to the Holy See the Rev. Leonard Neale, now a 
parish priest of St. Mary's Church in Philadelphia, as being the worthiest 
for prudence, ability and spotless life to be his coadjutor with the right of 
succession. He is about 44 years of age." 

The Pope ratified, on April 17th, 1795, the decree of Propaganda ac- 
cording to the recommendation, and naming Father Neale as coadjutor. 

Bishop-elect Neale remained in Philadelphia until March 1799, when, 
as the Bulls of Installation had not yet been received from Rome, he went 
to Georgetown College to enter upon its Presidency. Here he remained un- 
til his consecration, December 7th 1800, when, at Baltimore, he was corpfe- 
crated coadjutor to Bishop Carroll. 



Philadelphia continued to be ecclesiastically governed from Baltimore 
until, on April 8th, 1808, Pius VII., decreeded the subdivision of the Dio- 
cese of Baltimore and its erection into an Archdiocese with four suffragan 
Sees at Philadelphia, New York. Boston and Bardstown, for whose govern- 
ment he appointed Rev. Michuel Egan of St. Mary's Church, Philadelphia, 
to be Bishop of Philadelphia, Rev. Richard Luke Concanen, O. S. D., to 
be Bishop of New York, Rev. John Cheverus to be Bishop of Boston, and 
Rev. Benedict Joseph Flaget to be Bishop of Bardstown. 

Bishop Carroll had as early as December 1806, petitioned the Holy See 
for the division of the Diocese of Baltimore, and had, prior to the decree of 
division being granted, recommended Rev. Michael Egan for Philadelphia. 

DIVISION II, 

REV. MICHAEL EGaN IN IRELAND AND AT ROME — HIS RELATIVES IN 

THIS COUNTRY. 

Rev. Michael Egan, the first Bishop of Philadelphia, was born in Ire- 
land in 1701. 

In what part of Ireland his birth took place, long continued investiga- 
tion has not been able to discover. It has been stated that he was born in 
Galway but whether city or county was not indicated. Investigation 
shows "There is no family of Egan at present in the town of Galway 
who can claim connection with the Bishop of Philadelphia. There is no 
family or individual of any other name who can trace connection. One of 
the oldest Catholic inhabitants remembers a family of Egan in this town, 
(Galway), and from circumstances in connection with that family, it is 
possible that there might have been some connection ; but there is no evi- 
dence, and the last member (age 90), died some months ago (1887). 

Egan was never a common name in the town of Galway, where tribal 
and English names prevailed. It is more common in the eastern divisions 
of the county, and there was an Archbishop of Tuam of that name— Boetus 
Egan, A. D., 1787-1798. 

"There is little hope of finding any traditions of the Bishop in this 
county, as since his time, emigration, famine, cholera, political and social 
changes have been disturbing every tradition and even sweeping away whole 
vilages.'' 

Where he studied is also unknown though search has been made at 
Rome and in Ireland. "Neither does his name appear in the archives of 



any of the Irish Colleges of Belgium which have escaped the disturbances 
of the Revolutions and invasions of 1791-95— Louvain, Antwerp, Tournay, 
Lillie have no record of him, and at Brussels is a list of over 200 Irish 
graduates of Louvain, and his name is not among them." [Custodian of 
Archives, Galvvat.] 

From the records of St. Isidore's College at Rome, it appears that on 
March 1st 1787, letters patent appointing him guardian for the province of 
Momonia, (Muuster), were sent by Mgr. Somaglia, Secretary of the Sacred 
Congregation of Bishops and Regulars and Apostolic Visitor of the Congre- 
gation of St. Isidore. 

On May 24th 1787, he was constituted Guardian of St. Isidore's College 
and held this position until May 1790, when he was appointed Guardian of 
Ennis, 

On September 3d 1793, he left Rome with one or two others for the 
mission of Ireland as Guardian of Roscrea. After that his name does not ap- 
pear on the records of the College, but Very Rev. J. H. Jackman, Provin- 
cial O. S. F., Dublin, notes Father Egan as Guardian of Ennis in 1794, as 
he had been in 1787 of Inlayghton (V). [Lettter to F. X. Reuss,June 5th, 
1885.1 

Ou his way to Ireland he stopped at Louvain to visit his brethren of the 
Franciscan Order [Letter to Bishop Carroll Jan. 26th 1809.] 

Though it is said (Shea's Life & Times Ahp. Carroll^ p, 500), that Father 
Egan labored ''for seven years on the mission in Ireland," and was then in- 
vited over by the Lancaster (Pa.) congregation ; it is possible that Rev. 
Michael Egan was in this country before 1798. A letter of Bishop Car- 
roll's to Father Gallitzin dated Washington, March 1st, 1799, says : "Before 
I received yours my intention was to advise you of the notice lately given 
me by Mr.Egan that he would return to Ireland in the Spring or Summer". 
By this letter it would seem that "Emmittsburg and the Mountain" 
(now Mount St. Mary's), were the congregations attended by Father 

Egan and which Bishop Carroll "meant to have offered to Father 

Gallitzin" before he received Father Gallitzin 's letter sending the 

petition of Catholics of Clearfield, Frankstown and Sinking Valley that 

he "might be the pastor chosen for them." [Life Gallitzin^ p. 111]. 

Besides Rev. Jules C. Foin in a paper on "Rev. Louis Barth" read before 

the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, says **there 



is an old tradition around Mt. St. Mary's that Father Egan, afterwards 
Bishop of Philadelphia, did attend that mission before the old Mountain 
Church was built." [Becerds A. C. H. Soc, Vol. 11, p 33. J 

This tradition seems supported by the fact of Bishop Egan 's preference 
of Mount St. Mary's for the education of his nephew Michael de Burgo Egan 
who became a priest and the President of the College. [See sketch of him in 
Researches, Oct,, 1890. J 

That he may have been in this country at the time is also probable wben 
we regard the fact that his expenses to A.merica were paid by the congre- 
gation at Lancaster, Pa., and that when he came to Philadelphia, on or be- 
fore April 9th 1803, to be one of the pastors of St. Mary-s Church, its Trus- 
tees sent $150 to the Lancaster congregation for the expense it had incurred. 
Father Egan had been but about fifteen months on duty at Lancaster. 
Would the J^ancaster Catholics have defrayed his expenses to America had 
they not known of him from his previous abode in this country ? 

Besides, may not the death in 1798 of Bishop Boetius Egan of Tuam 
(translated from Anchonny, 1791), have been the cause for the return of 
Father Egan mentioned by Bishop Carroll. 

The name suggests a relationship, justifying the belief that the Bishop 
was the uncle of the priest. Such cases are frequent even in our days. 

Thomas Egan, his brother, was a shoemaker, and in 1801 and 1802 re- 
sided at No. 15 South Sixth Screet, Philadelphia That the name appears 
in the directory of 1801 indicates his presence in the city in 1800 or early in 
1801. This was before the known arrival of Rev. Michael Egan. 

In 1804 Thomas went to New Orleans. His wife was in Baltimore. 
Father Egan Tvrote she had ''no occasion to worry about her children, as he 
had taken care they shall want for nothing." So they were in Philadelphia. 

His sister was married to ''the sexton of St. Mary's," probably John 
Doyle who was appointed April 1811. 

DIVISION III. 

FATHER EGAN AT LANCASTER, PA. 

However, whether Father Egan had been in ihis country or not prior 
to hi3 serving at Lancaster, the records there show that as early as January 
17th, 1802, he was assistant to Rev. Louis de Barth, taking the place of 
Rev. Antouis Gamier who was in Lancaster as late as September 1801, 
Between the two dates the arrival of Father Egan may be set down. 



January 17th, 1802, was Saturday. The next day Father Egan went 
into the choir. Anthony Hook was leader and Mr. Leckler was organist. 
Father Egan joined in the singing with a strong bass voice. Hook said to 
Leckler, "Who is this Irishman ?" When the time for sermon came Father 
Egan left the choir, ascended the altar and preached in English. The fol- 
lowing Sunday he spoke in German. 

While the Legislature was in Session at Lancaster, crowds came to the 
church to hear Father Egan preach. [This was related to me on August 
31st, 1886 by Mr. Daniel Altic of Lancaster, Pa., grandson of Anthony 
Hook.] Father Egan could also speak French. 

The annexed letter of John Carrell Esq. a Trustee of St. Mary's, Phila- 
delphia, to Bishop Carroll shows an effort made a year prior to Father 
Egan's transfer to Philadelphia, to secure his services when he had been but 
two months at Lancaster. 

The ''Mr. Phelan" mentioned is Eev. Lawrence S. Phelan but we are 
not aware of how he ''stood in the way" of Father Egan's appointmeut to 
St. Mary's. It probably means that Father Phelan was on duty in Phila- 
delphia when Father Egan ai rived and that this necessitated the latter to go 
to Lancaster. 

Phil A., March lOLh, 1802. 
Eight Rev. Sir : 

I would not presume to address you on a subject of general concern to 
the congregation of St. Mary's lest by the 'advice of some of our Rev. 
Pastors. 

I have lately been at Lancaster attending the Legislature on business for 
our Church durinj? which time 1 spent many agreeable hours with the Rev. 
Mr. DeBarth and Mr. Egan and had the pleasure of hearing a sermon from 
the latter which I greatly admired and am sorry Mr. Phelan stood in the 
way of his being appointed to St. Mary's. In conversation with him he 
mentioned a cousin of his Rev. Jas. Regan of Limerick who was desirous to 
come to this country. He said he was a gentleman of great piety, exem- 
plary manner and a very able Preacher— that he possessed talents at Com- 
position and delivery far beyond what he could pretend to and was not 
under any particular engagement and if he had encouragement would cer- 
tainly come. I told him of your great desire to procure able clergymen for 
the diocese and that you had granted us permission to invite such to our 



church from abroad— previously informing you of the name and merits and 
having your approbation. Mr. Egan gave me a letter for his cousin request- 
ing it might be accompanied bv one from the Trustees of St. Mary's (it will 
be proper we should be at the expense of his passage here). 

I thought it best to advise with Rev. Messrs Rosseter and Carr before I 
communicated the Trustees or other person. * * St. Mary's being one of 
the oldest of our churches and in our most populous city, should have some 
of the ablest preachers. At present we have none qualified for the pulpit 
but Mr. Fitzpatrick whose sermons are instructive and edifying and may be 
heard with satisfaction but he is verv defective in his delivery and does not 
please the congregation after the many able preachers we have been favored 
with." [Miscel. Letters, Balto. Archives.] 

Endorsed * 'Answered Mar. 12th. Proposal agreed to under this limita- 
tion to be made known to Mr. Regan that the Bp. shall not be precluded 
from the light of removing him from Phila. and employing him elsewhere 
according to his discretion." 

During 180-2 Father Egan remained at Lancaster. On February 5th, 
1803 we tiud him in Philadelphia being solicited by the Trustees of St.Mary's 
church to become one of the pastors of that congregation. But the affair ia 
best told in Father Egan's own words to Bishop Carroll as follows : 
[From the collection in the Bishop's Memoiial Hall, Notre Dame, Ind.] 

Lancaster, Feb ye 10th, 1803. 
Rt. Rev. Sir : 

I am just returned from Philadelphia and I hasten to give vou the sub- 
stance of a conversation which took place between some of the trustees of 
St. Mary's and myself last Saturday. They came to my room and informed 
me they were deputed by the whole body to request that I would become a 
member of St. Mary's and urged me very closely to consent to their wishes, 
I thanked them for the good opinion they were pleased to entertain of me 
but at the same time informed them of the many inconveniences which 
would result from my removal from Lancaster and concluded with assuring 
them that after explaining these difficulties to your Lordship, you still 
judged it proper that I should reside in Philadelphia I would instantly obey 
your orders. Here the conversation ended. On the eve of my departure 
Rev. Mr. Rosseter communicated to me the contents of part of a letter he 
bad just received from you. By it I find you are well acquainted with every 



8 

incoDveQience that attend the congregation at Lancaster, and the missions 
annexed to it, I have no occasion therefore to say more on the subject, but 
that I am ready to act according to your directions. One thing however, I 
cannot omit mentioning that if I am removed to Philadelphia I will have to 
regret the society of the worthy Mr, DeBarth with whom indeed 1 have been 
happy since my arrival in Lancaster. When I informed him of the proba- 
bility of my going to Philadelphia he like a true ecclesiastic replied, "we 
must forget the man and only retain the idea of a priest. If Dr. Carroll 
thinks your presence more necessary in Philadelphia than here, we ought to 
sacrifice our own feelings to the common good." 

I am now tolerably restored to health and while I enjoy health I will 
attend the different congregations as formerly. Mr. DeBarth and I had a 
conversation this morning with Mr. Risdell on this subject and from his 
words there is every reason to infer that the congregation would not by any 
means contribute in the manner they have done to the support of any other 
clergyman, if I should leave them. He even expressed his doubts whether 
they would be able to continue their subscriptions in case I did remain. I 
know myself they are for the most part very poor and have perhaps exerted 
themselves beyond their abilities. Expecting therefore your determination 
and ready to obey your commands I remain Rt. Rev. Sir with profound re- 
spect, your most humble and obedient servant, 

MICHAEL EGAN. 

DIVISION IV. 

FATHER EGAN AT ST. MARY'S, PHILADELPHIA. 

The permiesion of Bishop Carroll having been given Father Egan came 
to Philadelphia in time to officiate at St. Mary's on Sunday April 10th 1803 
as the baptismal register, now at St. Joseph's, shows that on the 9th he 
baptised John Cotter, born Aug. 17th, 1802. The record however is in the 
handwriting of Father Rosseter. The first record made by Father Egan is 
the baptism on April 11th of Ann Haggerty, born Feb. 23d. The next was 
Hannah Mullen, born April 3d. 

On April 12th 1803 Father Egan was, by the Trustees, elected one of 
the pastors of St. Mary's and on that day $150 was paid the Catholics of 
Lancaster for the expenses of his passage. Patrick Lenehan, John Rudolph 
and John Carrell, Trustees, having collected £65 for that object. 

A Petition of the Catholics of Lancaster, Pa., Sept. 12th 1804, to Bishop 
Carroll spoke of "their distressed and forlorn condition since the removal of 



the most worthy pastor, Rev. Lewis Barth under whose ministrations we 
were given hope and flattered ourselves that, after the good Mr. Egan's 
removal, we would still have one to whom we could disclose our most 
shameful actions. "[Arc/iwes, Baltimore, Case 12, G.] 

At this time, it is well to remember, St. Mary's parish included that of 
St. Joseph's of the present day. There was then no St. Joseph's " parish." 
The priests of St. Mary's parish lived at the pastoral residence in Willing's 
alley. The school was back of Walnut St. to the rear of the house owned 
by the corporation of St. Mary's church and occupied, all the time Father 
Egan was pastor and Bishop, by Joseph Wigmore whose wife sold candy to 
the school children. It must have been of a superior quality for the tradi- 
tion of the toothsomeness of Mrs. Wigmore's molasses candy has descended 
to the present generation. So the month after Father Egan became asso- 
ciated with Rev. John Rosseter, as a pastor of St. Mary's, a charity sermon 
for the support of the Free School was preached and probably by Father 
Egan the newly arrived assistant. In November another sermon was 
preached. The receipts of both amounted to £109. 

In 1803 Philadelphia had another visitation of yellow fever. It had 
suffered seriously by the epidemic of 1793 and 1797-8. On September 12th, 
1803 the Board of health declared that "a disease of a malignant character" 
prevailed within the district bounded by Market and Walnut, Front and 
Delaware River. It prohibited visits to tUis district. The City Hospital 
was open from September 12tb to October Itith and had 88 patients of whom 
39 died. The victims of this visitation numbered "about 120" out of 145 
oases. 

The following record shows the interments in the (united) St. Mary's 
and Holy Trinity cemeteries from June 23 to November 39th : At St. 
Mary's, for week ending June 23d, 2 ; July 6th, 2 ; July 14th 3 ; July 20, 6 ; 
July 28, 6; Aug. 4, 1; Aug. 11, 4 ; Aug. 23, 4 ; Aug. 31, 2 ; Sept. 7, o ; Sept. 

14, 3; Sept. 21, 2; Sept. 28, 1; Oct. 5, 4; Oct. 12, 2; Oct. 26, 6; Nov. 3, 3; 

Nov. 10, 3; Nov. 24, 1; Nov. 30, 6.— Total 77. At Holy Trinity graveyard 

adjoining the church. Sixth and Spruce for same time the total number was 

25. But it is not known that all interred were victims of the fever. 

On Sunday, Sept. 11th, 1803, Bishop Carroll administered Confirmation 
in Philadelphia. 

On Sept. 8th, 1803 he wrote to Jas. Barry Esq., New York, expressing 



lO 



pleasare at the "probability of my having the happiness of your family's 
company to Boston." And adding : 

''Next Monday 12th, I will leave this for the neighborhood of New 
York. The Devil is always busy to raise obstacles in my way. He or his 
agent has made a disturbance at Trenton where I did not expect any busi- 
ness which will perhaps cause me some delay so that I do not expect to 

cross Hobuck ferry before Wednesday. Indeed I am much perplexed by the 
situation of New York. Mr. Carr here says that Mr. Morris' house is so 
much in or contiguous to the suburbs of New York that I shall be subjected 
to quarantine if I go hither. I write to-day for an immediate answer and 
whether a boat can be got which, without touching at the city will conduct 
me to the Narrows." [Archives, Baltimore.] 

The yellow fever in New York at that time made the quarantine neces- 
sary. The disease became an epidemic in Philadelphia while Bishop Carroll 
was here and the day he departed the Board of Health prohibited inter- 
course with the infected district. 

Fathers Egan and Rosseter attended the calls of the sick. 
Among the number of victims was William Harrison who died October 
13th, 1803. He was an English Catholic and an engraver. He engraved 
for the Society of the Cincinnatus a portrait of Washington, a copy of which 
may be seen in "T/ie Legacies of Washington " published at Trenton, N. J. 
Also, in 1800, "America Lamenting the Loss of Washington." His sons 
William and Samuel were also engravers. William died July 18, 1818, age 
29. Samuel died December 6th, 1849, age 81. William was the father of 
Rebecca Harrison who entered the Visitation Convent at Georgetown, D.C. 
in 1822 and was professed the same year as Sister Mary Angela She died at 
Visitation Convent, Georgetown, April 13th, 1878, aged 75 years. In Feb- 
ruary 1848, she began a Convent of the Order at S. W. corner of Eleventh 
and Spruce Sts. in a house belonging to Hon Henry Gilpin. The community 
afterwards removed to "Stiles' Old House" on Broad below Poplar on Green 
Hill. The farm mansion of Mr. Stiles was occupied by the Sisters but the 
effort failed and Mother Angela returned to Georgetown in 1852. The Sis- 
ters who were concerned in this attempt to establish the Visitation Order 
in Philadelphia were, Sisters Mary Agnes (/lark, Mary Thomas Scott, Mary 
Baptista Linton, Mary Olympia Fulton, Mary Philomena Cavenaugh, 
Blondina Brown, Mary De Sales Brown, choir Sister and Sisters Veronica 
Tobin and Patricia Carlin out Sisters. These came' with Mother Angela. 



\ 



II 

Those afterwards sent were Sisters Michaella Pearce, Ligouri D'Arrainville, 
choir Sister, and Gabriella McCool, Lay Sister. [Letter of Sister Mary 
Fidelis of Georgetown, June 15th, 1885. | 

DIVISION V. 

FATHER EGAN AND THE FRANCISCANS IN THE UNITED STATES. 

On April 3d, 1804, an election for Trustees was held. Those elected 
were Rev. John Rosseter, Rev. Michael Egan, John Carrell, John Rudolph, 
Jos. Snyder, Peter Scravendyke, Patrick Linehan, Philip Smith, John Den- 
nistan, Jos, Crap. 

The officers ot election were Redmond Byrne, judge; Edward Hanlon 
and James Dunn inspectors, and Jos. M. Byrne and Lawrence Ennis, clerks. 

At the meeting of the Board John Carrell was elected Treasurer and 
John Dennistan, Secretary. 

On September 29th, 1804, Father Egan was authorized to establish a 
Province of the Franciscan Order in this country. 

No Franciscan Province existed at the time of Father Egan's coming. 

Franciscans came as Missionaries and remained affiliated to tlie organ- 
ized Provinces to which thev belonged. 

Father Egan being sent as a missionary, but living under the full juris- 
diction of the Archbishop of Baltimore before his nomination to the See of 
Philadelphia, probably had severed, with the permission of Rome, his con- 
nection with the Irish Province to which he originally belonged. [Rev. B. 
Hammer, Lafayette, Ind. to F. X. Reass, 5th June, 1885,] 

In this endeavor to organize the Franciscans in this country. Father 
Egan looked to Bishop Carroll for advice and co operation in the project. 
By letter, January 8th, 1805, he wrote the Bishop thanking him "for pru- 
dent and just observations relative to establishing Order of St. Francis in 
the U. S." He continues, "There is here a Mr. Galligher from Kentucky. 
In a conversation with him on the probability of forming an establishment 
in that State, his opinion that it would succeed and was confident that if 
your Lordship would take the trouble to write to Mr. Goff stating the plan 
of a permanent religious establishment in that place he and the other gen- 
tlemen concerned would have no difficulty in making a transfer of the 
church and plantation near Frankford. If this were once effected I would 
then, with greater confidence, write to Ireland for proper subjects and I 
hope your Lordship's informing Mr. Goff that the property is not to be 



12 

vested to any individual, but in a religious community destined for tlieir 
service, that he will agree to the measure. If I could have a satisfactory 
answer on this subject in proper time I would write by the first Spring vessel 
to Ireland. Mr. Galligher intends writing to Mr. GofiE on the same subject. 
I am very sorry to find the Rev. Mr. Beeston's illness still continues." 

This **Mr. Gralligher from Kentucky" was probably the Mr. Gallagher 
whom Bishop Brute found to be, in 1812, the only Catholic at Limestone— 
now Maysville, Ky. 

This establishment of the Franciscans in Kentucky did not become a 
practical project. The French Revolutionary troops, having destroyed the 
Dominican college at Bornheim in Belgium, the procurator. Rev, Edward 
Fenwick, an American, after being arrested and imprisoned was released 
because of his American citizenship. He came to the United States accom- 
panied by Rev. Thomas Wilson, Rev. William Raymond Tuite and Rev. 
Robert Angier, who joined him in England. [Webb's Oath, in Kentucky, 
p. 200,] 

After laboring in Marylaud the Dominicans were, in 1805, sent by 
Bishop Carroll to Kentucky. Many of its settlers were, like Father Fen- 
wick, Marylanders. This and the presence of the Dominicans near him may 
have seemed preferable to Bishop Carroll than to wait the coming of Fran- 
ciscans from Ireland. The *'Mr, Goff" mentioned by Father Egan may 
have been John B. Gough, among ''the first of the Colonists in Scott county 
(Ky.) Catholic settlement or James Gough of the same county, the family 
being liberal benefactors of the Church" says Ben. J. Webb, historian of 
the Church in that State. Though Father Egan did not succeed in estab- 
lishing his Order in Scott County, Ky. and getting "the church plantation 
near Frankfort" yet, by a singular circumstance, from that locality in 1827 
came its pastor. Rev. Francis Patrick Kenrick, to be Bishop at Philadelphia 
with St. Mary's as his cathedral and destined to bring peace to the Church 
of Philadelphia in which dissension had made unhappy the life of the Fran- 
ciscan who projected the settlement of Franciscans in Kentucky. 

On January 29th, 1805, Father Egan wrote Bishop Carroll that a "letter 
June 16th, 1804, had come from Cardinal Delea Someglia who was pleased 
with the design of establishing O.S.F." "He is averse to Order possessing 
property as incompatible with the spirit of the Order and wishes that they 
may hold it only in your (Carroll) name or some person appointed by you. 
If the project should succeed it will be left entirely to your wisdom to point 



13 

out the mode you may judge best adapted to secure the establishment. Rev. 
Mr. Carr informs me you have lately received a letter from Rome relative 
to that subject." 

The Kentucky project did not progress to the securing of land and set- 
tlement of the Order in that State. Pennsylvania was next looked into as 
the place ot establishment. The patron of the Order was found in Joseph 
Cauffman a Catholic gentleman of position and means. His name is identi- 
fied with numerous records of transfers of real estate to and from and in his 
name in the right of Father Harding the founder of St. Mary's church. He 
was born near Strasburg and died in Philadelphia February 2d, 1807. His 
daughter Mary married Mark Willcox. Mr. Cauffman held many thousands 
of acres in Western Pennsylvania. On August 9th, 1806 he conveyed to 
Mark Willcox and Rev. Mathew Carr O. S. A., 332f acres of land called 
Rodesheim or Rodesham, situated on the south Branch of the Yellow Creek 
above and adjoining the land of Anthony Grove in late Westmoreland, now 
Indiana County, Pa. It was conveyed to Father Carr and Mr. Willcox and 
the survivors of them and their heirs and assigns of such survivor, in trust 
and in confidence, nevertheless, as a site for a House of Religious worship 
and a Parsonage and for a burial place for the use of the Religious Society 
of Roman Catholics, in the township in which the said land and premises 
lie and the vicinity thereof, and for the support of the clergyman or clergy- 
men oflficiating for the time being who would officiate at the said Religious 
Society, and in the confidence that they, the said Mark Wilcox and Mathew 
Carr and the survivors of them and their heirs, would permit and suffer the 
land and premises and buildings thereon to be erected, to be at the disposal 
and under the care, regulation and management of the said Religious Socie- 
ty, in or near the said township : provided always, that the clergyman or 
clergymen officiating for the time being at the congregation should be of the 
Reverend Brethren of the Order of St. Francis, and would be appointed by 
the Bishop of the diocese in which the land should be for the time being. 
But in case none of the reverend members of the said Order could be ob- 
tained, in which case and not otherwise, it should be in the power of the 
Bishop, to appoint other Roman Catholic priests to officiate at the congre- 
gation." [Recorded in Indiana County, Book 1, p. 132.] 

This land had been bought by Cauffman, Feb. 10th, 1776, from John 
Lesher of Philadelphia for five shillings. Recorded 13th July, 1776, by 
Michael Huffnagle, Recorder of Westmoreland County, (Book A, p. 131.) 



14 

With the land thus secured it is probable Father Egan **wrote to Ire- 
land for subjects" though they were not obtained. 

On September 5th, 1810, Mark Willcox and Father Carr conveyed the 
land to Bishop elect Egan for the purpose and intentions declared by Cauff- 
man in his grant to Willcox and Carr. [Indiana County Deed Book No. 2, 
p. 134.] 

Bishop Egan died intestate July 22d, 1814. He left but one brother, 
Thomas Egan who also died intestate, (buried at Mt. St. Mary's College, 
Emmitsburg, Md.) leaving only one son. Rev. Michael DeBurgo Egan who, 
on August 6th, 1823, conveyed the land to Rt. Rev. Henry Conwell, Bishop 
of Philadelphia, witnessed by T. Mitchell and A. D. Cash. Acknowledged 
before Alderman William Milner, August 25th, 1836. Mayor Swift had on 
May 6th, 1836, certified that Milner was an Alderman and qualified to take 
acknowledgments. [Recorded in Indiana County Deed Book No. 9, p. 192, 
May 12th, 1836. William Douglass, Recorder.] 

I have not traced the conveyance further. Is any part of this land now 
used for religious purposes ? 

Joseph Cauffman was born at Strasburg, Alsace, 1720 and at an early 
age came to Philadelphia. He was one of the founders, in 1754, of the Ger- 
man Society for the relief of Emigrants. During the Revolutionary War 
he was a loyalist but his son, Joseph Theophllus Cauffman, born in Phila- 
delphia, 1745, had at the age of eleven been sent to Bruges to be educated 
nnder direction of the Jesuits. In 1771 he entered the University of Vienna 
and in 1776 took the degree of M. D. After a brief experience in the Hos- 
pitals of London and Edinburgh, he returned to the United States in 1777 
and was appointed surgeon in the United States Navy and assigned to the 
Bandolph commanded by Capt. Nicholas Biddle. He lost his life when that 
vessel, in an en>^agement with the Yarmouth^ 74, off the Barbadoes, March 
7th. 1778, was blown up. 

Joseph, after the Revolution, lived at Providence, near Norristown, Pa. 
but died in Philadelphia, February 12th, 1807 and was buried in St. Mary's. 
All his descendants, the issue of his son Ijaurence, born August 8th, 1769, 
are Protestants by season of his marriage with Miss Sarah Falconer Shewell 
by Bishop White (Episcopalian) on April 23d, 1796 at Painswick Hall, 
Bucks Co., Pa. 

His daughter, Ann Teresa, for maner years attended to the decoration 
and care of the Altar at St. Mary's. She died March 16th, 1822 in the 41st 



15 

year of her age^of a lingering pulmonary affliction of the lungs. Her patience 
in suffering and unexampled submission to the Divine Will has been rarely 
surpassed. The widow and orphans' tears are the best testimonial of her 
worth" said Poulson's American Daily Advertiser^ March 23d. 

1804— THE SCHOOL— 1808. 

In 1804 the charity sermons produced for the support of the Free School 
SI 61. 40 at St. Mary's and i£20, 2s. 6d. at St. Augustine's. Accounts were 
kept in both £ and $. 

In 1805 the receipts were £72, lis. 8d. at St. Mary's and £32, 6d. at St. 
Augustines's. 

In 1805 there was a night school at St. Mary's. The meeting of the 
Trustees for May 21st, 1805 could not be held on that account. 

In 180G St Mary's gave £65, Os. 8d. and St. Augustine's £56, 16s. 2d. to 
the Free School. 

In 1807 St. Mary's contributed £73, 7d. and St. Augustine's £51, 7s. 
lid. 

On February 4th 1805, the Trustees examined the scholars. Those 
under Lawrence Ennis *'did not give satisfaction ;" so he was informed 
that if the next examination should not be satisfactory "a scrutiny into the 
cause of the defect will be had." But the scholars under John Doyle were 
found satisfactory, as appears from The Aurora of February 8th, which said: 
"An examination of the Free School of St. Mary's Church, which for some 
time has been under the direction of Mr. John Doyle, was held on the 4th 
Inst. There were above forty pupils of both sexes present ; their gen- 
eral deportment during the time, the manner in which they acquitted them- 
selves in reading, spelling and Catechistical exercises and the specimens of 
writing which they exhibited, gave general satisfaction and constituted the 
highest encomiums that can be on the unrequited attention of their worthy 
teacher. It is to be regretted that the funds of the institution will not ad- 
mit of extension to the more necessary parts of female education." 

In July, 1805, a number of the members of the congregation petitioned 
the Trustees representing ''the decayed and deficient state of the lower 
school and the present director" and "the great inconvenience they expe- 
rienced in being obliged to send their chileren to different schools, and 
thereby in a great measure deprived of having them taught the first princi- 
ples of faith." 



i6 

The Trustees resolved that in future "the school house shall be rented" 
and "a suitable teacher advertised for." 

The applications were John Young, David Doyle, John Dunlevy, 
Tobias Barrett, Philip Reilly, Thomas Fowler, John Rice, Daniel Hitchcock, 
Maurice Graham, Patrick Callan, Terrence Byrne. David Doyle was 
selected to take the place of Lawrence Ennis. On July 27th John Doyle, 
the master of the Free School, notified the Board that he declined to keep 
the school longer than September. Patrick Callan was elected to take his 
place. On July 13th, 1808, his salary was increased to $400. David Doyle 
resigned on April 6th, 1807, "Affairs out of the city, want of health and 
other circumstances not dishonorable to the Trustees or to him have caused 
the school not to meet our expectations." 

Discord marred the music of the choir of St. Mary's church. On May 
21st, 1804, Jos. Crap, Jos. Azan and Thomas Lechler were appointed "a 
committee to regulate the choir*" It was resolved "that the Trustees shall 
occasionally attend to assist in preserving order therein." It was decided 
also that "the first singer or leader shall have the preference in singing at 
funerals." 

These measures seem not to have subdued the unrulinesa, so in June, 
1805, because of "some irregularities in the choir by reason of some of the 
singers when certain pieces of music are sung, of with which they are not 
acquainted, and thereby producing discord in the church," Father Egan 
and Trustees Carrell and Ryan were appointed a standing Committee "to 
prevent such irregularities in future." 

Jos. Azan was at this time leader. He received no salary but as he had 
"the preference at funerals" in that, no doubt, was his compensation, 
though in 1803 the Trustees voted him $50 and in 1805 S25 and, as they did 
not allow any sum in 1806 he asked an allowance and was given $25. Miss 
Ann Elverson "from her eminency as a singer in the choir "was presented 
with $25. 




HISTORY OF 

» 

RT. KEY. MICHAEL E6AN D. D., 

FIRST BISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA. 

BY Martin I. J. Griffin. 



DIVISION VI. 

FATHER EGAN AND MUSIC AT ST. MART'S. 

In November, 1804 the following subscription paper was signed to 
procure funds to establish a Singing School. 

The Reverend Clergy and the Trustees of St. Mary's Church being 
desirous to establish a Singing School for the improvement to the youth of 
their society in sacred music, whereby the choir may be perfected, and the 
participation of that very essential part of divine worship rendered more 
general, harmonious and regular. 

In order to effect this truly necessary and pious purpose, they solicit the 
aid of their brethern, by subscriptions or donations, on the following terms, 
viz: 

1st. That each subscriber, for every fi^e dollars he may pay, shall be 
entitled to send a scholar for the season, who may be any youth belonging 
to St. Mary's Church, of good morals and conduct. 

2d. Every subscriber under five dollars shall have a ticket of admis- 
sion to visit the school when he may think proper during the season. 

3d. The direction and management of the school, and the funds therof , 
ihall be vested in the Trustees of St. Mary's Church. 

We, the undersigned, do subscribe the sums annexed to our respective 
names for the foresaid purpose. 

Philadelphia, Nov. 12, 1804. 



i8 



John Rossiter, 


S5 


Mathew Browne, 


5 


Michael Egan, 


5 


Gabriel P. De Ercazt, 


5 


J. A (probably John Ashley.) 


10 


James Whelan, 


5 Candles 


S. Moyl 'n, 


5 


Charles O'Hara, 


5 


Lewis Ryan, 


10 


Timothy Desmond, 


5 


John Carrell, 


10 


Richard Delahant, 


5 


John Denniston, 


10 


Matthias J. CConway, 


6 


Patrick Carney, 


5 


Chs. Johnson, 


5 


Mathew Carey, 


5 


Edward Harlin, 


5 


J. Gallagher & Sons, 


5 


Thomas Murtaugh, 


5 


Marquis de Casa Yrujo, 


20 


Hugh Christy, 


3 


J. P. S. (Portugese Consul.) 


.5 


Geo. P. Wray, 


2 


C. O'Connor, 


5 


Hugh Cavanaugh, 


3 


Isaac Hczey, 


10 


Cash, 


2 


Thomas 8hortall, 


10 


Joseph Manuel, 


2 


John Maitland 


5 


B. McCloskv, 


2 


Michael Darney, 


5 


I. G.— Cash, 


1 


Maria O'Bnan, 


5 


P. T.- Cash, 


1 


Thomas Peacan, 


5 


John Smith, 


1 


Wm. Newlin, 


5 


John McGinnes, 


1 


James Eueu, 


5 


Wm. Mullan, 


2 


Joseph Eck, 


5 


Francis Lynch, 


2 


John Lalor, 


5 


John Scully, 


2 


James Budwine, 


5 


John Cannon, 


1 50 


Joseph Snyder, 


5 


John McDermot, 


1 


Patrick Ltnehan, 


10 


A. R.— Cash, 


1 


Patrick Hays, 


5 


Thos. McC^lean, 


1 


Charles Smith, 


5 


T. C.-Cash, 


2 


i'rancis Harrison, 


5 


Peter Scravendyke 


5 


Philip Smith, 


5 


Law. Prim, 


3 


Joseph Crap, 


10 


Anthony Steel, 


5 


Jas. Logan, 


5 


Michael Hickey, 


3 


.John Connor 


5 






Edward Carrell, 


5 




S324 50 



Congregational singing is now a-days regarded as an innovation which 
all have not looked upon as tending to add to the devotion of the people 
The following letter of Father Egan to Bishop Carroll shows the concern 
St. Mary's pastor had in that regard : 

[From the Bishop's Memorial Hall, Notre Dame, Ind.] 
Rt. Rev. Sir : 

I take the liberty of troubling Your Lordship at present in consequence 
of the earnest desire of the Congregation of St. Mary's (intimated to me by 
some of the trustees) to have permission to chant the Vespers in the English 
language. I understand from the Rev. Mr. Rossiter, who on a former oc- 
casion consulted your Lordship on that subject, that you are not averse to 
the principle, provided the Psalms be set to grave and solemn music. This 
shall be carefully attended to, if the proposed plan should meet your Lord- 
ship's approbation, as Mr. Ben. Carr, who is now engaged in composing 



19 

some sacred music, promises that it shall be grave and solemn. One good 
effect it is to be hoped will result from this mode, it will be an incitement 
to the congregation to be more punctual at evening prayers than they have 
been heretofore, as they may all then join in singing praise to God in a 
language they understand. 

I am, my Lord, with profound respect. 

Your Lordship's most bumble and obed't serv't, 

MICHAEli EGAN. 
Philada., Jan. 21, 1805. 

We know not Bishop Carroll's reply to this request. It is probable 
however that he did not permit the change to be made without permission 
from Rome. Not that his views were adverse to the change sought. For 
as early as about 1787 he had written Rev. Joseph Berrington, author of 
The State and Behaviour of tht English Catholics, urging him to discuss "the 
use of the Latin tongue in the public liturgy of the Church'" and telling 
him that he favored "the alteration of the Church discipline" relating 
thereto. [3IS. Archives, Baltimore.] 

So, unless the rules were dispensed with it is probable that Bishop 
Carroll's permission was withheld. 

In 1804, the Charity Sermons for support of Free School amounted to 
$161.40 at St. Mary's and £20, 2s. (3d at St. Augustine's. 

The accounts in S and £ showing the English system of computation 
had not yet been abandoned. But these were of £ Pennsylvania currency 
to be computed at $2.G7. 

In 1804 the school collection amounted to S101.30 On April 30th, 1804, 
the indebtedness of St. Mary's amounted to £473, 93. 9^d. of which £399 
was due to the estate of Nicholas Esling. 

DIVISION VIL 

THE YELLOW FEYER IN 1805. BISHOP CARROLL CONFIRMS MRS. SETON 
AT NEW YORK. HIS VISITATION TO PHILADELPHIA. 

Again in 1805 the City was afflicted with the yellow fever, principally 
in South wark, in the district from South St. to the River Delaware. 

On September 2d, the Board of Health ordered the publication of the 
names and residences of the sick, and on the 6th, directed all persons within 

the infected district to remove as quickly as possible to the country. On 

September 8th, the City hospital was opened and 200 tents were pitched at 



20 

Rosemount for the poor. From September 27th to October 31st, 359 cases 
were received in the City Hospital and 172 of the number died. 

On November 5th the Board of Health declared the epidemic at an end. 
From August 16th to October 26th, the City (Vine to South Sts.) had 943 
deaths, but the number by fever is not specified. Southwark had 676 cases 
and the Northern Liberties, 147. 

* 'During the yello w fever of 1805, the Catholic priests were constant 
in their attendance at thft yellow fever hospital situated near the Schuylkill 
river, a short distance from town, while the clergymen of other denomina- 
tions scarcely ever ventured within its walls."—] Cath. Herald^ April 20th, 
1843.1 

At this time Rev. F. X. Brosius was residing with his sister, who was 
in business in the New Market Space, (Second St. from Pine to South). He 
was not in good health. On Sept. 17th, he wrote Bishop Carroll that "last 
Sunday at St. Mary's for the first time heard confessions during about half 
an hour, after which I felt so fatigued that it would have been most impos- 
sible for me to continue." He said : -'The neighborhood in which we live 
has been deserted since the beginning of July." In a postscript he added r 
"Mr. Carr has shut up his church and is out of the city. Mr. Rosseter is 
attending the sick from morning till evening. "— [Am. Cath. His. Re- 
searches, Jan. 1890, p. 38-9.] 

Rev, F. X. Brosius in writing to Archbishop Carroll, Phila., Oct. 3, 
1805, says : "the post oflSce has been moved from 3rd to 10th St. on account 
of the fever. 

The fever is still bad enough & I am astonished at the imprudence of 
some, who already return from the country, as if the cold weather of a few 
days would put an end to the disorder. They are just this moment going 
to remove a person from our neighborhood, two doors from our house, who 
was in the country & fell sick almost immediately after her return. 

Both Louisa [his sister] and myself are a little alarmed at the disorder 
getting so near to us, but it being the only one hitherto & owing to that 
Person's Imprudence, I confide in God that He will, protect us both & the 
more so as the present circumstances do not permit us to remove & retire to 
any other place. Our neighborhood, the New Market space, is generally 
healthy and I hope it will remain uninfected. 

I have not seen this day Mr. Rosseter except passing by our house in 
his chair— Mr. Egan keeps at home and is recovering fast— I think— I sup- 



21 

pose your Reverence knows that he has had a very hard attack two months 
ago— spitting blood &c." 

This letter of Father Brosius' disproves the statement made in 1822 in 
the Address of the Lay Trustees to the Congregation 0/ St. Mary^s p. 11, that 
Rev. John Rosseter "was a pastor who remained at his post taking care of 
his flock, when pestilence caused every other clergyman to fly from the city." 

Father Egan was sick. 

During 1805 when Fathers Egan and Rosseter were pastors, the bap- 
tisms in January were 29; February, 14; March, 19; April, 20; May, 33 
June, 19; July, 25; August, 27; September. 20; October, 15; November, 19; 
December, 13. Total 259. 

In 1805 the Free School Fund was £72, lis. 8d. from St. Maiy*sand 
i632, 6d. from St. Augustine's. St. Mary's had a Night School, which, 
this year, was open as late as May 21st. 

In June, 1806, Bishop Carroll visited Philadelphia and administered 
Confirmation at St. Mary's. He came from New York. As ''the new 
route" over the new bridge at Trenton was opened that year,; probably that 
was the way by which he reached the city. 

On May 25th, 180(3 he had administered Confirmation at St. Peter's 
church. New York, and Confirmed Mrs. Eliza A. Seton, afterwards the 
Foundress of the Sisters of Charity in the United States. Bishop Carroll 
had written Mrs. J. Barry of New York from Baltimore, March 19th, 
1806, saying : "I was most happy to hear that you had formed acquaint- 
ance with Mrs. Seton. Her situation and sacrifices have interested me 
much in her favor— her zealous and highly respectable friend, Mr. 
Felicchi is here" [MS. in Amer. Cath. His. Soc. of Phila. j 

Bishop Carroll wrote from Philadelphia June 16th 1806 to Mis. James 
Barry No. 30 Partition St., New York saying : 

"The Marquis" [probably de Yrujo] "told me likewise that Mrs. Mary 
Paterson (Caton), Mrs. Harper and I suppose Betsy Caton were to be here 

in a few days on their way to Balltown Springs. 1 expect to leave here 

on Friday week and remain with Rev. Mr. Rosseter which is suflicient 
directions tor you. "[Archives, Baltimore.] 

He probably administered Confirmation on Sundays June 15th, and 22d 
at St. Mary's St. Augustine's and Holy Trinity churches. 



22 

DIVISION VIII. 

FATHER EGAN AND THE ORPHANS— BISHOP CARROLL'S VISITATION 
IN 1807— CONVERSION OF SAMUEL SUTHERLAND COOPER. 

In 18U6, by sanction of Father Egan, a meeting was held "in the 
little Chapel," as ^'Old St. Joseph's," called, to consider the condition 
of Catholic orphans, a number of whom were being cared for by general 
charity. After the yellow fever of 1797-8 a number of orphans of Catho- 
lic victims of the epidemic were gathered and cared for in private homes. 
Subsequently a house adjoining Holy Trinity church was rented and the 
children placed in charge of a matron. Fathers Egan, Carr and Hurley^ 
James Oellers, Cornelius Tiers, Jos. Eck and John F. Hoares were among 
the most active benefactors of the orphans. At the meeting in "the littl^ 
Chapel" it was resolved to form "T/te Roman Catholic Society of St. Joseph 
for the Maintenance and Education of Orphans.''^ 

Rev. Mathew Carr was chosen President and Rev. Michael Hurley, 
Secretary and Treasurer, but Joseph Eck was subsequently elected Secre- 
tary. On December l8th, 1807, an Act of Incorporation was obtained. 
The house on Sixth St.adjoining Holy Trinity was rented from Adam Primer. 
Later the property S. W. Cor. Seventh and Spruce was purchased and there 
the Asylum has ever since remained. 

The Aurora of Jan. 9th 1808 announced : 

"A Charity Sermon will be preached at the Roman Catholic church of 
St. Mary's on Sunday A. M. next Jan. 10 and collections made for the 
relief of the poor. 

An Anthem adapted for the occasion will sung in full choir." 

An advertisement in The Aurora of Jan. 13th. 1808 reads : "The 

members of the Roman Catholic Society of St. Joseph's are requested to 

attend a meeting on Tuesday 19th January at 6 P. M. at St. Mary's School 

Room. 

Jos EcK, Secretary. 
Punctuall|attendance requested. 

In 1810 the Asylum had 150 orphans and a capital of $4,397. Bishop- 

Egan was President, Edw. Carrell, Vice President, James Oellers, Treasurer 

and J. Maitland, Secretary. 

In 1814 the Trustees resolved to ask Sisters of Charity to take charge 
of the Asylum, They accepted the care and arrived in Philadelphia 
October 6th 1814jbut Bishop Egan had died on July 14th. 



23 

In October 1807, Bishop Carroll again came to Philadelphia on an 
Episcopal visitation and administered Confirmation at St. Mary's St. Au- 
gustine's and, no doubt, at Holy Trinity (German) church. At the visita- 
tion at St. Augustine's he confirmed Mr. Samuel Sutherland Cooper, a gen- 
tleman distinguished in wealthy and social circles. 

Mrs. Seton- in writing to Philip Filichi says, under date of 20th 
November, 1807 : ''The Mr. Hurly, who acknowledged so many obligations 
to you, is making brilliant conversions in Philadelphia. A Mr. Cooper, of 
great intellectual attainments, waited a few weeks ago on Bishop White 
and other clegymen of note, inquiring their reasons of separation and find- 
ing them as they are, was received on the visitation at St. Augustine's 
church. He is of family and fortune and it therefore makes a great noise, 
as also the conversion of one of their most fashionable women, a Mrs. Mont- 
gomery. But many are added from time to time without a stir. "-[Jfemoir, 
Letters and Journal of Mrs. Seton. Vol. 1, p. 317.] 

Mr. Cooper afterward became the great money-helper of Mrs. Seton, 
He became a priest and after serving the Church in this country, went to 
France. While stationed at Bordeaux he loaned Cardinal Wiseman's Works 
to George Strobel, the American Consul. These led to his conversion to 
Catholicity. On Mr. StrobePs return to Philadelphia in 1842, he was re- 
ceived into the Church by Rev. Felix J. Barbelin, S J., pastor of "Old St. 
Joseph's." In January 1843, Mr. Strobel went to Rome and entered the 
English College. In spring of 1845 he was ordained priest. He returned 
to Philadelphia and became assistant at St. Mary's to Rev, C. J. H. Carter, 
and from 1848 to his death, December 1877, was pastor. Thus Mr. Cooper's 
good work continued to this generation. 

The baptisms in 1800 at St. Mary's numbered 232. 

In 1807 the number increased to 239. 

DIVISION IX. 

DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE OF BALTIMORE. — AGREEMENT FOR SUPPORT OF 

BISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA. 

The division of the Diocese of Baltimore and its erection into an Arch- 
diocese was resolved upon in 1806 and decreed April 8th, 1808. 

The name of Rev. Michael Egan was second on the list of recommenda- 
tions. 

Bishop Carroll, in recommending Father Egan in 180G said he "was 
truly pious, learned, religious, remarkable for his great humility, but de- 
ficient, perhaps, in firmness and without great experience in the direction of 



24 * 

affairs," but Bishop Carroll "declared he preferred him to the others" 
named.— [De Courcy— Shea, ed, 1879, p. 215.] 

He wrote, on June 17th, ±807, to Rome that Father Egan was "a man 
of about fifty who seems endowed with all the qualities to discharge with 
perfection all the functions of the Episcopacy, except that he lacks robust 
health, greater experience and a greater degree of firmness in his disposition. 
He is a learned, modest, humble priest who maintains the spirit of his Or- 
der in his whole conduct." — [ihid.] 

On April 8th, 1808, the division of tne Diocese was decreed and the es- 
tablishment of the Sees of Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Bardstown 
decreed. 

Rev. Richard Luke Concanen was appointed to New York. Rev. 
Michael Egan to Philadelphia, Rev. John Cheverus to Boston and Rev. 
Benedict Joseph Flaget to Bardstown, Ky. 

Rev. Luke Concanen O. S. D. was Prior of the Dominican Convent at 
Rome at the time of his appointment. He was consecrated at Rome on 
.April 24th, 1808 by Cardinal Antonelli. He was entrusted with the Bulls 
for the consecration of Cheverus, Egan and Flaget, as Anthony Filicchi, 
-of Leghorn, writing to Mrs. Seton. Nov. 30th, 1808 said : "Monsignor 
Cbncanen will bring along with him the necessary bulls for the consecration 
of our Cheverus as Bishop of Boston, of Reverend Egan as Bishop of Phila- 
delphia, of Reverend Flagj^t as Bishop of Bardstown and "of Archbishop 
Carroll as Archbishop." 

Bishop Concanen went to Leghorn to proceed to the United States. 
Being unable to sail after waiting four months, he returned to Rome. He 
was in ill health and after a time went to Naples to proceed to his Diocese. 
; He was prevented by the authorities from proceeding. He died in the Dom- 
inican convent, Naples, June 19th, 1810, ''not without a suspicion of poi- 
json," say accounts. 

Anticipating the early receipt of the Bulls, Bishop Carroll wrote as 

toUows to the Trustees of St. Mary's and Holy Trinity churches and no 

doubt, also to Father Carr, Pastor of St. Augustine's : 

Messrs. The Trustees of the several Catholic Churches in Philadelphia : 

"Immediately after receiving notice of the propitious event of a Bish- 
op's See being erected at Philadelphia and the appointment by the Holy See? 
of the Right Revd. Dr. Egan to fill the Episcopal Chair, I desired it to be 
made known to you that it was now indispensibly necessary to make pro- 
vision, as well for the first expenses of the consecration and installation of 



25 

the new Prelate as for his permaneDt support. After more reflection it ap- 
peared expedient and necessary to address directly to you gentlemen, a more 
particular recommendation on this subject. 

"The established usage of the Holy See, when new Bishoprics are insti- 
tuted is to require solid assurances, that the Bishops appointed for the pur- 
pose of preserving the integrity of faith, the purity of morals and perpetuity 
of the ministry, as well as their successors, shall be above all inducements, 
arising out of the narrowness of their circumstances, to relax in their 
attentions to those most essential duties of their charge, and consequently 
that their income, whatever it may be, shall be independent of the flanc- 
tions of favor or public opinion ; they must be free from the apprehension 
of being deprived of their means of support, if they pursue the methods dic- 
tated by their consciences for the maintenance of sound discipline and dis- 
couragement of vice. As far then as your influence, on which, as well as 
your zeal, much trust may be placed, can effect it, the settlement of your 
bishop's income will be placed on a footing suitable and honorable to his 
station and not controlable by the interference of those over whose highest 
interest Divine Providence has appointed him to preside. 

" This is perhaps the last act of that pastoral care which it has been 
long my duty to exercise in behalf of my dear children of your State, my 
conscience reproaches me often and ever will reproacti me, for many omis- 
sions and errors in the execution of that awful ministry. Allow me to pray 
you and all the Congregations, through the charity of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
to sue to the Fathei of mercies for the grace of my forgiveness ; and that 
the remaining days of my life may be employed in repairing the evils, which 
can yet be remedied. Assure yourselves that though my former connections 
with you are soon to be dissolved, still my heart is, and will always be united 
with you ; and that I shall not cease to implore for you the protection of 
Providence, and the diffusion of our Holy Religion throughout the Diocess, 
of which Philadelphia forms so distinguished a part. 

I have the honor to be, with respect, 

and the solicitude of an affectionate Pastor, 

Messieurs, 

"Your most devoted and obedient servant 

and Father in Christ, 

"tJOHN, 

Bishop of Baltimore. 
Baltimore, October 20th, 1808." 

—[Life and Times of Ahp. Carroll. Shea, pp. 636-7.] 



26 

This letter]was received by Rev. John Rosseter, who, on 24th October, 
notified the Trustees and urged "the necessity of the permanent support of 
the new Prelate." 

The Board appointed Trustees Ashley, Johnson and Snyder to confer 
with the Trustees of Holy Trinity and Rev. Michael Hurley of St. Augus- 
tine's. They arranged to pay S800— from St. Mary's S400 ; Holy Trinity, 
S200 ; St. Augustine's, $200. Expenses incidental to his consecration and 
installation in the same proportion. 

The St. Mary's Board of Trustees approved of that, and further resolved 
*' that the Trustees will contribute for the support of Rt. Rev. Dr. Egan as 
Bishop and pastor of St. Mary's, in consideration of his having two associate 
clergymen, the following sums, viz.: He is to receive the whole of the 
collections, estimated at $500. 2. A further sum of $1600 a year, payable 
in the same order as provided for him as Bishop by the committees of the 
different congregations, it being at the same time understood and agreed 
that the Trustees reserve to themselves the exclusive right to the pew rents, 
and that in case there were not two associate priests a deduction at the rate 
of $500 a year should be made for time of vacancy." 

This agreement was acceptable to the clergy and agreed to by them, it 
being "understood by the parties that the associate clergy receive $200 a 
year for services, payable in the same manner as that of the Bishop, inde- 
pendent of his boards washing, lodging and other incidental expenses, the 
same to be for their personal expenses.'' 

On July 21st, 1808, Bishop-elect Egan wrote to Archbishop (elect) Car- 
roll : "Rev. Mr. Beeston and some of the most respected members of the 
congregation advise me to desist from preaching during the warm season 
and this advice I think it prudent to follow as the physician tells me I might 
otherwise have a return of my old complaint." 

At this time, when Philadelphia, had been erected into a See and was, 
as all believed, about to have Father Egan consecrated as its first Bishop, 
Philadelphia had 47,786 inhabitants of whom 30 were yet slaves. 

St. Mary's was then the most numerous and richest Catholic congrega- 
tion in the United States, yet the Sunday collections did not exceed $500 a 
year. The pew rent was but $4 a year. 

But Philadelphia Catholics were proud that the City would soon have 
its own Bishop. The dignity of the high and holy office demanded a cor- 
respondingly degree of progressiveness on the part of the people. The 



27 

church should be enlarged. That was soon resolved upon and, as near as I 
can discover, an expense of $30,000 was incurred. All seemed but bright- 
ness in the future. Growth and goodness would be the portion of the 
Church of Philadelphia. 

To add to the happy omens of the future *'the eloquent and elegant 
Dominican," Rev. William Vincent Harold, O. S. D. had, on November 10, 
1808, arrived to assist Bishop (elect) Egan and Rev. John Rosseter. Father 
Harold's first marriage record is on November 26th, 1808, when John and 
Rebecca Ward had their marriage blessed. 

Could the future have been foreseen, what a revelation would have been 
made to the happy Catholics of Philadelphia, especially of St. Mary's ! But 
the past now teaches that it was an evil day for the faith and, maybe for 
the souls of many, when Rev. William Vincent Harold came to Philadelphia. 

This is how Father Egan informed Bishop Carroll of the arrival of Rev. 
William V. Harold : 

[Original letter in the Bishop's Memorial Hall, Notre Dame, Ind ] 
Rev. Sir : 

When the good and worthy Rev. Mr. Byrne arrived here from N. York, 
on his way to Georgetown, I endeavored to prevail on him to remain with 
me during the winter and he seeing how very much I wanted an assistant 
consented to remain provided His Lordship the Bishop had no objection. 
He has preached and given public instructions during Advent very much to 
his honour as well as edification and spiritual advantage of the congregation, 
and now as another Rev. gentleman is arrived, who can supply bis place, he 
wishes to go to Georgetown as he originally intended. Whenever he goes I 
shall always consider myself very much indebted to him. The Rev. gentle- 
man who is to supply the good Mr. Byrne's place here, is a Rev. Mr. Harold 
of the Dominican Order, just arrived from Dublin with strong recommenda- 
tions from Doctor Troy and the Provincial of his Order. I have also re- 
ceived letters from Ireland in which he is mentioned in a very favorable 
light as a gentleman of good sense and most excellent conduct. He heard 
in Ireland, long before the news had reached America, of the appointment 
of the new Bishops and came with the intention of fixing in N. York where 
he thought Dr. Concanen was already arrived. But finding that city well 
provided with Clergymen, and hearing of my situation and how much I 



28 

wanted an assistant, he arrived last Saturday in Piiiladelphia and offered 
me his services which I joyfully accepted. He preached yesterday at St. 
Mary's and gave general satisfaction, so much so indeed that the trustees 
and several others came to congratulate with me on having so able an as- 
sistant. As there are some doubts of my jurisdiction as Bishop, as the 
authentic documents for the establishment of the new See are not yet re- 
ceived, I have given him the requisite faculties as the Bishop's V. G. and 
hope my so doing will meet His Lordship's approbation. His arrival is very 
providential, as Mr. Eossiter continues in a feeble state, and I will gain 
fresh strength and health by having his assistance. 

Prayers were offered up yesterday in all the R. C. churches of the city 
for the repose of the soul of the Rev. and much lamented Mr. Molyneux 
and next Thursday there will be a Solemn Requiem at St. Mary's for the 
same purpose. I am witb profound respect your 

Most humble Serv't. 

MICHAEL EGAN. 
Philada., Decern. 3d, 1808. 

DIVISION X. 

PROPOSED JESUIT COLLEGE IN PHILADELPHIA.— JAMES OELLERS.— FATHER 

GALLITZIN.— FRANCISCAN FATHER STUART.— HOLY TRINITY 

AND REV. DR. O'BRIEN. 

Rev. Anthony Kohiman S. J., writing to Most Rev. Wm. Strickland, 
London, from New York, 7th Nov., 1808, says : 

"There is the finest prospect of estaolishing a College in Philadelphia. 
A certain Mr. Oellers, who by his unremitting exertions, has carried on 
very important works for the good of religion, has promised to build a Col- 
lege in one year, provided the Society furnish him with some Masters. 
Four or five suffice, at least in the beginning, for a College in this country 
because if the pupils desire to go beyond the inferiosa they may be sent to 
the College of Georgetown."— [Woodstock Letters, Vol. IV, No. 2.] 

He adds : At this critical moment of the appointment of five (sic) new 
Bishops the great point for the Society is to take possession of Boston, New 
York and Philadelphia for fear we may be prevented by others." 



29 

A. short reference to this doer of "important works for the good of re- 
ligion'' may be of interest : 

James Oellers, the projector of a Catholic "College in Philadelphia" 
was a native of Aix-laChapelle. By the minutes of the Pennsylvania 
Council of Safety, November 18th, 1776 it appears that Mr. Nesbitt, its 
treasurer, was directed to pay James Oellers ,£3,364 "for 128 casks of pow- 
der delivered to Mr. Towers" {Pa. Ar., 3, p. 191). At this time he was 
a merchanc at Sim's wharf below the Drawbridge which is better located to 
those of to-day by Delaware Avenue below Dock St. Here, like all dealers 
in those days, he sold a variety of articles of merchandize, even medicines. 
[Fa. Post, Nov. 4tb, 1776.1 

The State of Pennsylvania having required all persons to take the oath 
of allegiance, Mr. Oellers did so in June 1777. When the British army oc- 
cupied Philadelphia, September 1777, Mr. Oellers was "constrained to Brit- 
ish allegiance" but on the evacuation of the city, June 18th, 1778, Mr. 
Oellers on August 31st, 1778, renewed his allegiance to the State. 

On the evening of February 7th, 1778. Mr. Oellers with Miss Catharine 
Haffner were, with Mr. Henry Horn and his wife, on their way to church 
to be married by Rev. Ferdinand Farmer. Tradition relates that thev were 
halted by the British guard and taken to headquarters of the commander 
where explanations were made that their purpose in being out after hours 
permitted was not antagonistic to the safety of His Majesty's rule. A 
guard was sent with them to Father Farmer's where the ceremony was 
performed. On July 16th, 1778, Anthony Marmajou, owner of the pilot 
boat St. Louis which had been taken possession of by the crew, offered re- 
wards for the boat or cargo and directed application to be made to Mr. 
Oellers. [F. 960, Ridgway Library. | 

On March 17th, 1779, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Oellers. He was 
named James Patrick. He entered Georgetown College Nov. 5th, 1794, as 
a day scholar and boarded with G. Fenwick. Mathew Carey was his Guar- 
dian. He left College July 30th, 1796 with his brother Henry, who had 
entered Dec. 16th, 1794, He became an oflQcer of the Navy, married a Bap- 
tist lady, joined her church and died February 1849. His son James S. was 
the father of Richard G. Oellers, who is now, as for many years, treasurer 



30 

of the Philadelphia Record and was the successor, for 23 days, of John Bard- 
sley, the faithless City Treasurer of Philadelphia. All the descendants of 
James Patrick Oellers are Protestants. 

On Februaiy 11th, 1780, Helen, the first daughter of James Oellers, was 
born and the same day baptised by Father Molyneux. Father Farmer was 
sponsor. On the same day Sarah, ''slave of James Oellers" was also bap- 
tised. Mr. Oellers was sponsor. On Nov. 13th, 1780, he gave testimony in 
€ase of Capt. De Eay of Brig Active against Mr. Holker, Spanish Agent. 
[Pa. ^r.,X, 162.] 

In 1782, St. Mary's church was extensively repaired. Mr. Oellers gave 
£75 Is. 5d.— the largest contribution. 

In November, 1790, Adam Premir conveyed to James Oellers and others 
the ground on which Holy Trinity church was built by the German Catho- 
lics. After its erection, a conflict with Bishop Carroll and the Trustees 
took place in which Mr. Oellers took an active part. It closed in 1802 by 
the submission of the Trustees. 

In 1793 Mr. Oellers was, if not earlier, the proprietor of "Oellers' Ho- 
tel" on Chestnut St. above Sixth on the site now occupied by the German 
Democrat building. All the Receptions and Dinners given to distinguished 
men of that time were given at Oellers'. There all the noted visitors to 
this country "lodged." There in May, 1793, Citizen Genet, the representa- 
tive of the French Republic, was received by his admirers and the supporters 
of the Republic. There, in February 1797, was given the great Ball to 
Washington on his retirement from the Presidency. A description of it 
may be read in Familiar Letters on Public Characters. The hotel was de- 
stroyed by fire originating in Rickett's Circus, Dec. 17th, 1799— the night 
the news of the death of Washington was received in Philadelphia. The 
Circus stood on the site of The Public Ledger of to-day. 

At that fire, Katrina, a servant of Mr. Oellers, was crippled for life in 
being rescued by the firemen. It is related of her that to secure the right 
of free interment in St. Mary's grave-yard she distributed 100 loads of earth 
over the ground. This may have been in 1794 when 2629 loads were used 



31 

to cover the surface and thus raise the ground, no doubt, to the height it is 
to-day— several feet above the surface outside. 

At the time of Mr. Oellers' proposition to the Jesuits, he resided at 63 
South Second St. 

Mr. Oellers was actively connected with the troubles at Holy Trinity in 
opposition to Bishop Carroll and he also had contention wich Bishop Egan. 

When it became known in 1808 that Father Egan had been selected for 
Bishop, Father Gallitzin wrote Dr. Carroll, on Nov. 22d, 1808, "thanking 
God for" Carroll's promotion to Archbishop but "regretting and lamenting 
my own fate in being no longer under his immediate jurisdiction" as his 
"paternal affection, prudence and authority have so often afforded me most 
powerful protection against the poisonous shafts of slander and persecution, 
surrounded as I am by a set of the most corrupt class of Iiish who are as 
void of religion as they are of honor &2. * * i have reason to fear that 
my constant endeavors in trying to reclaim those unhappy men, condemn- 
ing their abominable practices, will cause many of them to embrace the 
chance of a new bishop (especially knowing that he is their countryman,) 
in order to renew their persecution." ]Brownson''s Qallitzin, p. 272.] 

In 1809, Father Gallitzin "the Prince-Priest;" visited Philadelphia. In 
a letter to Bishop Carroll he mentions John and Edw. Carrell, Chisf Justice 
Tilghman and Benjamin Morgan, a Quaker lawyer, as benefactors who aided 
him gi:ea,t\y. [Hey deiVs Qallitzin.] 

Father Gallitzin, when in Philadelphia, lodged with Mr, John Carrell, 
No. 32 High St. [now Market) corner of Strawberry Alley.— \Brownson^s 
Gallitzin, p. 281.] 

Bishop elect Egan thus informs Bishop Carroll of the arrival of a Fran- 
ciscan whom he did not think it proper to employ ; 

Phil A., Jan. 26, 1809. 

I think it my duty to give your Lordship every information in my power 
respecting a Rev. Mr. Stuart O. St. F. and native of Limerick who is just 
arrived in this city and will in all probability shortly present himself before 
your Lordship. He was a student in Our convent at Louvain when I passed 



32 

through that place, on my way to Ireland. Shortly after his arrival in Ire- 
land he was appointed Chaplain to a Regiment of Irish Brigade destined to 
the West India. Where he remained some time, and afterwards returned 
to Ireland. He was in Dublin when I sailed from that port for America, 
and since my arrival here I got an account of his death. I believe he left 
Ireland without the permission of his Superior. 

He has since traveled through France, Spain, Portugal and several 
other parts of Europe. 

MICHAEL EGAN, 

On January 30th, 1809, Father Egan wrote to Bishop Carroll acknowl- 
edging the receipt of letters by Dr. O'Brien and informing the Bishop that 
he considers it imprudent to allow O'Brien to preach or officiate in Holy 
Trinity. So notified O'Brien who replied Egan "was not bishop yet. " Egan 
replied : "Tho' I was not yet consecrated, I had Episcopal jurisdiction and 
would enforce it with regard to him." He asks, "What ground of jurisdic- 
tion the Holy Trinity was Established. Rev. Mr. Rosseter is of opinion 
it was only for the Dutch Congregation. Trinity should be notified it was 
only by courtesy they administered at all." 

This was Rev. Mathew O'Brien. He and Rev. Pat^'ick Kenny had 
officiated at Holy Trinity. Difficulties had arisen— the Germans objecting 
to Father Kenny and perhaps to Dr. O'Brien. 

A Charity sermon by Father Harold was announced for Sunday, January 
8th, 1809, but by advertisement dated 12th printed in The Aurora it was an- 
nounced for "next Sunday" which was the 15th. 




DIVISION XIL 

ENLARGEMENT OF ST. MARY*S CHURCH.— REV. JOHN ROSSETER's OFFER. 

May 10th, 1S09.— The Trustees resolved that a subscription list be at 
once opened to enlarge the church. Lewis Ryan was appointed to obtain 
the names of Catholics of other congregations. On June 0th he presented a 
list of names and the Trustees selected those known to them on whom tliey 
could call for contributions. The Board ordered that subscribers to the en- 
largement Fund should be placed on an equal footing with the original suD- 
scribers to the church. Fatlier Harold was requested to draft an address 
to the pew-holders. This he presented at meeting, May 18, 1809. Here is 
a copy. 

To the PeiO'holdersoj St. Mary\<i Church. 

Appointed by your confldence to the temporal administration of our 
common church, we feel it our first duty to promote the decency of public 
worship by a judicious application of the property committed by you to our 
management. At a period when our numbers were comparatively small 
the piety and public spirit of our ancestors devoted the returns of their in- 
dustry to the erection of this church, and left us at once a monument of 
their religion, a strong claim on our grateful lememberance, and an en- 
couragement to imitation. In order to accommodate our increasing 
numbers an enlargement of the church has been deemed expedient and a 
subscription opened for that purpose. Could this plan have been carried 
into operation by the ordinary resources of the church you will do us the 
justice to believe that we should have declined this mode of application but 

you cannot be ignorant that our funds are unequal to such an undertakinsr, 
and we have every reason to be convinced that with means more ample, 
you possess a spirit not less generous than those who have gone before you. 



34 

We think it proper to inform you that by the improvement which your co- 
operation will enable us to make, 36 pews will be added to the church and 
that a choice in the purchase of these will be eiven to the subscribers pro- 
portioned to their contribution. While we address you specially and with 
just reliance, as pew-holders in the church, we do not forego a well founded 
hope of liberal assistance from our brethern and fellow-citizens of Philadel- 
phia who have never yet withheld their support from the promotion of any 
object so nearly connected with their religion. We take this opportunity of 
expressing our grateful acknowledgements to the ladies who have con- 
tributed so largely to the decoration of our altar. 
[Signed.] 

Michael EGA N, > „ 

Wm. Vincent Harold, I JJ^-'^Y^^"^ 
John Rosseter, ) ^^^'^^^'s- 

Lewis Ryan, 

James Eneu, 

Jos. Snyder, 

John Carrell, ! „ 

John Rosseter, r trustees. 

Chas. Johnson, 
Peter Scravendyke, 
John Ashley, J 

Every subscriber of SlOO was entitled to one of the new pews— preference 

according to subscription. Equal in subscription— by lot. 

Books of subscription were issued with annexed heading. 

We, the undersigned, do promise and agree to pay the Trustees of St. 
Mary's Church in Philadelphia, the sums by us respectively subscribed, the 
same being for the purpose of enlarging and improving the said church. 
The time of payments to be, one moiety on or before the 1st day of October 
next, and the remaining half on or before the 1st day of October, which will 
be in the year of our Lord 1810. 

Witness our handset Philadelphia, the 8th of June, 1809. 

The Trustees signed this. 

We, the uudersiged Trustees of said church, do agree and bind our- 
selves to pay the sums affixed to our respective names as above stated : 

Chas. Johnson, S50 ; John Ashley, ^1,000 ; Peter Scravendyke, $100 ; 
John Rosseter, $500 ; James Eneu, SlOO ; Lewis Ryan, 1100 ; Jos, Snyder, 
$100 : 



35 

^r. Ashby and John R )ssiter were givea the preference m selecting 
new pews. 

THE SCHOOL. 

In June , 1809, SoOO for free schools was receiver! from the estate of 
Wm. Mulcahy, proved May 28, 1807. 

November od, 18U9,— As free school is to be enlarged, Terence Byrne, 
occupying the lower floor, is given notice to remove on April 1st, 
1810. 

November 7tb, 1800. — As subscriptions for enlarging the church were 
inadequate the Trustees resolved that Ashley and Johnson draft a petition 
to Legislature "for the grant of a lottery to enable them to enlarge the 
church." Bishop Egan and Kev. W, V. Harold present at this meeting. 

They did so draft — Presented it at meeting Dec. 5th, and went to Lan- 
caster to present it to Assembly. 

In 1809 there were 42 burials in the old grave yard attached to the 
church and 98 in the new cemetery on Thirteenth below Spruce. 

The charity sermons for the Free School this year amounted to S212,67 
or £79,15 sh. from St. Mary's and S123,00 or £4(5,3 sh. from St. Augustine's. 

When the Trustees resolved to enlarge the church, ground, to the 
northward, 14 x 50, was bought of Richard Bache Jr. and Sophia his wife. 
This is the space covored by the footway as the space now occupied by the 
vaults, 10 X 114 was not bought until 1828. 

On January 29th 1810 Lewis Ryan was elected Treasurer of the Funds 
contributed for the enlargement of the church. On March 20 it was un- 
animously resolved tliat the church be enlarged *'not exceeding 20 feet in 
length and in width not exceeding 22 feet." 

It was likewise resolved that the school should be incorporated "ex- 
perence having convinced the Trustees of the necessity." At the meeting 
March 30th 1810 Messrs Johnson, Eneu and Snyder were appointed a 
Committee ''to have enlargement commenced immediately and to employ 
workmen and contract for material." At the meeting April 9th Proposals 
for carpentering work were submitted but none meet with approval. 
It was resolved to engage Charles Johnson as Master Carpenter at S4 a day 
and that carpenters should be employed "as reasonable as they can be got." 
All to be under the control of the Building Committee. 

The proposal of Thomas Tompkins, Bricklayer, was accepted. 

Six shillings a perch for laying stone work and S3 a thousand for laying 



36 

bricks and no extra charges for arches. The dirt from the cellar digging 
was to be used to raise the grave yard. Mr. Tompkins subscribed $50 to- 
wards the enlargement fund. 

At the election April 24th Messrs Ashley, Eneu, Johnson, Ryan, Capt. 
John Rosseter, Scravendyke, Snyder, Philip Smith and Bishop Egan and 
Fathers Rosseter and Wm. V. Harold were elected Trustees. John Doyle 
was Judge and Thomas Maitland and F. Callan Inspectors. Callan was 
the School Master of St. Mary's School back of 72 Walnut St. "It is very 
commodious having lately undergone thorough repair" says The Aurora, 
Oct. 8th. 

On May 7th 1810 Rev. John Rosseter offered the Trustees to give SoOO 
for the use of the church if the Trustees would agree to pay him S50 a year 
in quarterly payment ''during his natural life." The offer was accepted 
and a certificate given to that effect. On August 26th Father Rossiter gave 
$300 more on the same terms. 

In the spring of 1810, the enlargement of the church to its present 
dimensions was begun. It was a year before all was completed. 

At this time Lewis Ryan was Treasurer. "The church was painted a dull 
blue and the ceiling more vivid shades of the same color, studded at regular 
intervals of twelve inches with very sleepy stars, was not devoid of architec- 
tural beauty. Its arch is to the present day an object of envy to some of the 
architects of the country."— [Rev. P. A. Jordan, S. J. in The Woodstock 
Letters, 1872-3. | 

On July 20th, 1886, while alterations were going on, by which entrance 
was made from the front of the church and not from the rear, I visited St. 
Mary's church. Cut deeply into the engraved cap. of one of the pillars 
that stood back of the sanctuary where now the main entrances are,I saw the 
letters "F. Y. H." followed by the word "Carver" writen with a carving 
instrument. Underneath was written, in pencil, words that were deciphered 
to read, "F. Vanhorn, May 1st, 1811." The date was very plain. 

Painted on the wall back of the altar was a representation of a cross and 
Crazier surmounted by a Mitre. Across the Crozier and Cross was laid a Bi- 
ble ; underneath \\as a scroll with I. H. S, 

This made evident the appearance the wall back of the altar presented after 
the improvements had been completed and proved the pride of the congrega- 
ion in their Cathedral church as the seat of a Bishop. 

On May 10th, 1810, Father Egan wrote Bishop Carroll : "we have been 



37 

all greatly disappointed here as we flattered ourselves with the pleasing hope 
of having the Archbisliop's presence at the marriage of Mr- Walsh to Miss 
LIuylan." 

This was Eobert Walsh, who, though at that tinoe but 2o years of age, 
was the author of ^'An Appeal from the Jmlgments of Gi eat Britain Bespecting 
the United Slates"' for which he was thanktd by the Legislature of Pennsyl- 
vania and which yet renoains a standard and accepted authority. Indeed it 
may properly be termed a History of our country. In ISll he became editor 
of The American Review of History and Politics and General Re'pository of 
Literature and State Papers—?^ Quarterly. He became distinguished in edi- 
torial ability so much so that Tkr Columbian Observer, April, 1825, in rebuk- 
ing an Ohio editor who had spoken conteniptuously of Pennsylvania editors 
said: ''It seems he does not even except Walsh from the mad denunciation." 
He died in Paris, while Consul Geneial, in 1859, age 77 years. 

His wife was the daughter of Joseph Moylau, brother of Gen. Stephen 
Moylan. 

Dr, Maurice Francis Egan in The Poor SouW Advocate, April 2d, 1891, 
says : ''Robert Walsh was born in 1784 in Baltimore ; but later he became 
a Piiiladelphian. He came of a race of loyal gentlemen and devout Catho- 
lics. His woik was praised alike by Edgar Poe and that Lord Jeffrey who 
helped to kill Keats and who would have killed Byron, if Byron had not 
been made of tougher stuff, Ilobert Walsh is best known by his volume of 
selections, called Didactics. His influence on the younger Catholics around 
him was marked ; as Father Jenkins said, in appreciation of him, one of his 
remaikable characteristics was "his readiness to advance young men ; do 
petty jealousy ever stopped him fiom seeing and exciting talent in every 
form. In this he was a model fo*" American Catholics, whose es^nit de 
corps might be cultivated with advantage." 

At this place may be introduced the annexed letters to show the condi- 
tion and operations of the musical department of St. Mary's— the Cathedral 
church— at the time of Bishop Egan's consecration. 

Philadelpdia, Aug. 14th. 1810. 
Reverend Sir, 

I regret, that circumstances neither to be forseen or prevented, have 
caused a delay in the communication I have to make.— Since the time I had 
some desultory conversation with yourself and Dr. Harold, in 4th street near 
St. Mary's Church, I have had a second, and severe attack of indisposition 



38 

— as soon as I was convalescent, I went out of town, and since my return, 
almost all my leisure has been necessarily employed in writing severalletters 
to England ; which were obliged to be ready at a given owment; but the 
time which must elapse before the opening of St. Mary's Church, I trust 
still prevents its being made at too late a period which is my resolution for 
resigning my situation as organist and Director of the Choir of St. Mary's 
Church, Believe me, Reverend Sir, this is not a hasty determination ; nor 
is it made without due consideration, and the only satisfaction which results 
to myself, is, the conviction, that, had the choir in numbers and attendance 
been, in any ways proportion'd to my anxious wishes, that our combin'd 
efforts would not have discredited the musical part of Divine Service. 

After a fair trial of two years and a half, with a gradual decrease of 
numbers, and talent, my last hope lay in the Oratorio.— I must confess tho' 
it was my last it was my best hope of renovating the Choir— as it seemed as 
if those who were attached to Sacred Music, and were invited to join us, 
came forward with avidity on the occasion: while those whose assistance 
was the most diflQcult to obtain, yielded to persuasion. But it has failed in 
producing a single additional member ; and from every view of the matter, 
and from every knowledge I can gain, of future events; I have but too much 
reason to fear, that what is now too feeble, will be more so ; and, that on 
great Holidays &c. I shall not be able to procure all my usual valuable 
assistance. At the same time, it is my opinion that any person who was 
a member of the church, and personally acquainted with some of the Con- 
gregation, would be more successful in recruiting the Choir. 

I have long had it in contemplation to relmquish a situation, which, for 
want of proper assistance to my endeavours, render'd such inefficient service 
to the Church ; and which has been a continued series of mortification' to 
myself and I consider no time can ever occur, more proper for my discon- 
tinuance, than the present. — The period of time previous to the recommenc- 
ing Divine Service, will give full leisure to supply my place ; and to make 
any other arrangements. 

1 therefore take this method of officially requesting you, as head 
of the church, to accept my resignation : and I assure you. Reverend 
Sir, that in so doing, I have to entreat you to believe, that I shall always 
hold a grateful and pleasing remembrance of the uniform, kind and polite 
conduct of yourself, the Reverend Clergy, and those gentlemen. Trustees, 
with whom I have had communication ; and return thanks for the perfect 



39 

confidence reposed in me during my attendance at your church. I further 
assure you and them, that, at all times, if I can render any service, I will 
most cheerfully do it ; and should the Choir, under a future Director, be 
more successful, no one will be more gratified than, 

Reverend Sir, 

Your Obed't Serv't, 

B. CARR. 

Right Reverend Bishop Egan. 

The Oratorio in which lay the "last but best hope of renovating the 
Choir" was a musical celebration whicli engaged public attention through- 
out the country among musical people. It took place at St. Augustine's 
church on 20th of June, ISIO. 

At the Ridgway Branch of the Philadelphia Library is a copy of "The 
Words of a Grand Selection of Sacred Music as Perfoimed at the Church of 
St, Augustine in the City of Pliiladelphia on 20th of June, 1810." 

The trombones and their players came from the Moravian Seminary at 
Eethlehem Pa., and other amateurs from other parts of the country. See 
Becollections of the Life of John Binns for an account. 



PiiiLADA., Dec'r 24th, ISIO. 
Gentlemen, 

On Wednesday last, an application was made to be me by Mr. Snyder, 
to play the organ of St. Mary's Church, with a request, if I would undertake 
it, to state the terms : In compliance with this request, I now lay this be- 
fore yau. I am well aware of the difiiculty attending such an undertaking, 
and, from appearances at present, I fear it will be very hard to get a Choir 
formed. As the want of proper vocal assistance was, (I believe,) the princi- 
pal reason for Mr. Carr relinquishing the situation, it would be presump- 
tive in me to undertake it unless this deficiency can be supplied. I there- 
fore think it inditptnsihJy r(quisite to procure a person as a permanent singer. 
— If this can be accomplished, a beginning may be made, and it is possible, 
others may then lend assistance. Mr. S. stated to me, that it was the wish 
of the managers and Congregation to have some of what is termed the Old 
Music performed, occasionally. In its present form it is out of my power to 
comply with this request ; but, if is put into the hand of some person capable 
of arranging it properly, some of it, I will endeavour to do.— My ternis are 
one hundred and fifty dollars per annum. 



40 

I understand that is contenaplated to open the church on the 6th day of 
January. From the little knowledge I possess of musical preparations, I 
beg leave to observe that it is now too late to have the music necessary for 
that occasion ready. 

I a -^ gentlemen, 
With respect, your h'b'e Ser't 

BENJAMIN CROSS. 
The Managers of St. Mary's Church. 

DIVISION XIIL 

CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS EGAN, CHEVERUS AND FLAGET. 

Though the Diocese of Baltimore had been erected into an Archdiocese 
on April 8th, 1808 and appointments later made of Bishops for the suffragan 
Sees, yet the Bulls directing consecration were delayed in transit. The fol- 
lowing letter of Bishop elect Egan to Bishop Carroll shows that, at its date, 
he had not yet received information of the reception of the official papers 
from Rome authorizing his consecration : 

Philada., Sept. 14th, 1810. 
My Rev. And Dear Sir : 

I have just received a letter from a brother in Naples— Rev. Michael 
McCormick — which puts beyond all doubt the information I communicated 
to the Archbishop a few days ago respecting the melancholy end of the 
Right Reverend Concauuen. On his arrival at Naples he was declared a 
prisoner, and denied permission to embark by the Government. This dis- 
appointment shocked him so miich that after struggling three days he at 
length entered into rest with the greatest composure. May he rest in peace. 
Mr. McCormick informs me also that all English subjects without exception 
are suppressed at Rome and ordered away to Paris. He makes no mention 
of the papers Dr. Concannen had for the Archbishop, which makes me fear 
that they fell into the hands of the public officer. Whenever he is at liberty 
to come to America he will embrace the opportunity, as he told me he has 
long since had an invitation to that effect. This is substantially his letter 
to me. As the Archbishop is in the habit of corresponding with Dr.. Troy, 
you will have the goodness to send him the enclosed when the opportunity 
affords. I remain Sir, with profound respect, 

Your most humble and obliged servant, 

MICHAEL EGAN. 

It appears that two sets of official papers had been sent to this country 
—one by Bishop Concannen when he found his time of arriving in this 
country uncertain and the other was brought by Bishop elect Flaget, who 
arrived in this country in August. It has been stated that it was the first 
set of papers— those from Bishop Concannen — that Archbishop Carroll acted 
on, though b^ the time of Consecration, the papers by Father Flaget must 



41 

also have been here, but as late as September 14th we have seen that Father 
Egan was not aware of the proper papers being in this country. 

However, in response to Father Egan 's letter of September 14th, Bishop 
Carroll, no doubt, informed Father Egan of the receipt of the Bulls and 
arranged the time of Consecration. Accordingly on October 20th, 1810, 
Bishop-elect Egan with his assistant. Rev. William Y. Harold, went to 
Baltimore, leaving Rev. Patrick Kenny in charge of St. Mary's, The ex- 
pense of the journey, including proper outfit for consecration, was S213. 
This sum w^s advanced by Mr. Eneu, a Trustee. 

At Baltimore preparations were evidently made by the clergy and peo 
pie for the proper arid dignified observance of ihe great event — the consecra- 
tion of three Bishops. The following announcements were made : 

*'We understand that the Roman Catholic Diocess of Baltimore which 
comprehended the whole of the U. States, is now erected into an Archbish- 
opric and that four new diocesses are established within its former limits, 
'vhich are to be suffragans to the See of Baltimore. Three of the Bishops 
of these new Diocesses are now to be consecrated. The Rt Rev. Dr. Egcm^ 
Bishop of Philadelphia, on Sunday, Oct, 28 ; and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Cheverus 
of Boston on Thursday, Nov. 1st the feast of all Saints. Both these Conse- 
crations will be celebrated in St. Peter's Church. That of the Rt. Rev. 
Dr Fla get of Baiids Town, Kentucky, will be on Sunday, Nov. 4, in St. 
Patrick's Church, Fells Point. The late Rt. Rev. Dr. Concannen, Bishop 
of New York, which gives title to the other new Diocess, unfortunately 
died before he could take possession."— [FecZej-ctZ Gazttte <t* Baltimore Dailij 
Advertiser, Oct. 20, ISiU.] 



Published this day. At Bernard Doiuin's Catholic Bookstore, No. 30 
Baltimore St. 

INSTRUCTIONS 

On the Erection of four new Catholic Episcopal Sees inthe U. States. And 
tlie Consecration of their first bishops, which are to be celebrated in Balti- 
more, on the 2SLh of Oct., and 1st and 4lh November. In which the sig- 
nification of the various ceremonies used in that sacred rite is fully explained 
and developed and the principal Formules and Prayers transcribed into 
English for the convenience of the Laity. 

(S ime in French.) BERNARD DORNIN, 

No. 30 Rue. Baltimore. 
[Federal Gazette tt Baltimore Daily Advertiser, Oct. 30, 1810.] 

TO CATHOLICS. 

B. Dornin presents his apology to his Catholic Brethren for the num- 
berless inaccuracies in the printing of the Pamplilet entitled ''Instructions on 
the erection of four mio Catholic Episcopal Sees S:c. The late hour at which 
he received on Saturday last, the latter part of the manuscript not having 
permitted him to revise the proof, he was obliged in order not to disappoint 



42 

the public on Sunday to have woiked off in haste a number of copies. But 
he is happy to announce that the whole has been carefully revised and cor- 
rected and will be ready for sale on Wednesday at his store. Price 25 cents. 

Persons supplied with incorrect copies may have them changed by pay- 
ing the balance Q^ cents — [Fuhral Gozttte & Baltimore Daily Advertiser^ 
Oct. 30th, ISIO.] 

Accoidingly the conseci ations took place : Bishop Egan's at St, Peter's 
on Sunday, October 28lh ; Bishop Cheverus on November 1st at St. Peter's 
and Bishop Flaget at St. Patrick's, Fell's Point, on November 4th. Th*^ 
Consecrator was Archbishop Carroll. Bishop elect Cheverus and Flaget 
assisted Archbishop Carroll in the consecration of Bishop Egan. When 
Bishop Cheverus was consecrated, Kev. William V. Harold preached. His 
sermon was printed in pamphlet form. A copy is in the American Catholic 
Historical Society, Philadelphia. When Bishop Flaget was consecrated, 
Bishop Cheverus preached. In no contemporary account 1 have seen, is it 
stated who preached when Bishop Egan was consecrated. Father Jordan 
S. J., in Woodstock Letters mentions that Father Harold delivered the dis- 
course. Perhaps tradition confounded Father Harold's sermon at the con- 
secration of Bishop Cheverus. It is more than likely that Archbishop 
Carroll himself delivered the discourse on the occasion of the consecration 
of his first suffragan Bishop. It seems appropriate that he should. 

In view of subsequent events in the life of Rev. William V. Harold, it 
will be not only of interest but of instruction to learn his sentiments regard- 
ing Episcopal authority and the qualifications of a Bishop as set forth in 
his discourse at the consecration of Bishop Cheverus. Speaking of the 
Bishops and their authority in the early ages of the Church he said : 

"We find the Episcopal order perfectly understood in these ages and by 
these men ; we find the full extent of its authority clearly defined and ascer- 
tained and universally admitted ; and we find obedience to that authority 
exacted as an indispensable article of Chrirtian communion and a duty 
essentially connected with the hope of future blessedness." 

He cited St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, writing to the church of 
Ephesus, "Do nothing without the Bishop;" and to the church at Smyrna, 
'•Let no man do anything which concerns the church without the Bishop ;" 
and of Origen, "after calling attention to the just claims of Deacons and 
Presbyters says, there is another debt to Bishops, which is the greatest of 
all and exacted by the Saviour of the whole Church, who will severely pun- 
ish the non-payment of it.' " 

It would have been well for Religion had he, within a few years as well 

as seventeen years afterwards, acted out the teachings he was expounding 

to the laity present at the consecration of the three new Bishops. 

But perhaps he remembered "the exalted qualifications required"" of 
Bishops as he had on the same occasion set them forth, and believed that 



43 

Bishops Egan and Conwell did not reach the high standard of the "qualifi- 
cations'' as he had set them up. Hear him : 

''The virtues that in common men might fairly challenge our applause 
and justify our hopes, are far below the perfection required in a Bishop 
—his worth must be commensurate with his dignity — his life must be 
heavenly as his office— his heait must answer this solemn appeal which 
Chrisc three times r^^peated to the first of his Apostles; ''Simon son of 
John, lovest thou me more than these :" And as he values the imperishable 
crown which await him, he will give evidence of that superior love re- 
quired by Christ, not in vain, empty, inoperative professions of attachment, 
but in real, living, indubitable proofs of love in imparting safety and 
support to that cherished flock, which our adored Redeemer prized above 
his love. A Bishop must not only feel in his heart that love, which is 
strong as death, but he must aspire to that abundant charity, which aione 
can smooth the rough road to Pastoral care, and lighten the oppressive 
burthen of Pastoral solicitude. He must seek with indefatigable per- 
severance the salvation of souls, but science must enlighten, and dis- 
cretion must guide the impulse of his zeal. When I speak of the science 
of a Bishop, I do not mean the chilling noxious vapor of mere human 
learning, which engenders pride, and points the way to ruin— his must 
be science of salvation, the knowledge of God, created, improved apd made 
perfect by the Gospel. When I call for discretion as a quality necessary to 
his oflice, I do not mean the timid, time serving thing which the world 
knows by th-it name, that worthless prudence which bends the vener- 
able form of Religion, to promote the wretched speculation of selfishness, 
kis must be that discretion which originates in the fear of the Lord, and 
renders all passing things justly subservient to man's more lasting and more 
glorious destination. 

Placed on an eminence, "held up as a spectacle to the world, to 
Angels and to men;" the conduct of a Bishop can never be a matter of 
indifference; his deportment is measured; his every word is marked; the 
eye of a world that never pardons, is fixed upon him ; to him no middle 
course is granted ; the opiniorx of mankind coincides in this instan^'e with the 
spirit of the Goipel; if he does not build up, he destroys; if his life breath 
not the odour of edification, if his actions do not carry glory to the 
Father who is in Heaven, he dishonors his place, he betrays his trust he 
breaks his allegiance to the Prince of Pastors, Christ Jesus our Lord. 
To the Episcopal oflice it peculiarly belongs to minister to the spiritual 
wants of mankind the word of eternal life and to point out to their people 
the narrow path that leads to blessedness ; hence they are styled in the 
Gospel, "the light of the world ;"but if that light be obscured by passion, 
or hidden under the mancel of indolence and sloth, what hand will conduct 
the unhappy flock to safety ? What power can lure them from wide and 
perilous road of reprobation and misery ? The flock may perish but the 



44 

faithless shepherd shall perish with them ; the blood by which they were 
redeemed may be made void, bullet it be remembered "that blood cries 
louder than the blood of Alel." 

It is therefore of indispensibie necessity that a Bishop impart to his 
flock the word of eternal life. Bat it is yet more important that Le support 
the authority of his instruc^^ion by a blameless ^sanctity of manners, and an 
impeachable integrity of life. The fire of heavenly charity must glow in 
his words, and be visible in his actions: for if the world can contrast the 
life of a Bishop with his doctrine, from that moment he has lost the power 
to save. His discourses may sparkle with eloquence and abound with erudi- 
tion, but they will fall from his lips, cold, fruitless and lifeless. They may 
amuse the imagination, they cannot reform the heart. Instead of encour. 
aging the growth of virtue and cooperating with heaven to save the 
immortal soul, he kills every feeling of good, he confirms the doubts of the 
unbelieving, he hardens the obduracy of the impenitent. Instead of evincing 
a shepherd's tenderness, in rescuing his hapless fl ick from danger, his 
example encourages their disastrous wanderings, and strengthens the chain 
of moral death by which they are bound. Heaven will shield the Church of 
America from such a misfortune as this." 

Mrs. Jane Chambers ot St. Louis, who died February 23d, 1891, aged 
93 yeart, was a witness of tlie consecration ceremonies. She was the daugh- 
ter of John MuUanphy who had taken his children from St. Louis to Balti- 
more for their education. Rev. Thomas B Chambers S, J. of Chicago is a 
son of Mrs Chambers. 

The new Bishops remained in Baltimore for two weeks consulting, 
deciding and preparing Regulations for the government of the Church so that 
an "uniform practice" should exist. The "State of the Church, its visible 
head, our Venerable Head and the consequences of his being withdrawn 
from his captivity, either oy violence or the ruin of liis constitution by in- 
terior and exterior sufferings" were also considered. Resolutions of eccle- 
siastical discipline and a Pastoral to the People were adopted and issued. 
These documents are herewith given from originals in the Archives • at 
Baltimore, Case 11— J : 

ECCLESIASTICAL DISCIPLINE. 

"The most Reverend Archbishop and Rt. Rev. Bishops assembled in 
Baltimore took into their serious consideration the state of the churches 
under their care, but not being able to extend their enquiries and collect full 
information concerning many points, which require uniform regulation and 
perhaps amendment, they reserved to a future occasion a general review of 
the ecclesiastical discipline now observed throughout the different diocesses 
and the reducing of it everywhere to as strict conformity with that of the 
universal Church as our peculiar situation, circumstances and general bene- 
fit of the Faithful will allow. Some matters requiring immediate attention 
were maturely discussed, on which, after humbly invoking the assistance of 



45 

the Divine Spirit, resolutions or ordinances were made, which in due time, 
will be communicated to the Clergy or laity as they be concerned in them. 
The following are some of them and are now published for general infor- 
mation : 

First : Pastors of the different churches, or they, who in their absence 
are intrusted with the care of the church, chalices, and sacred vestments 
are not to permit any strange and unknown priests to exercise priestly 
functions before they have exhibited authentic proofs of their having ob 
tained the Bishop's permission. 

2. Conformably to the spirit of the Church and its general practice, 
the Sacrament of Baptism shall be administered in the Church only, in all 
towns in which churches are erected excepting only cases of necessity. 

3. Some difficulties having occurred in making immediately a general 
rule for the celebration of marriages in the Church; as a practice most con- 
formable to general and (Jatholic discipline it was thought premature now 
to publish an ordinance to that effect; yet all pastors are directed to recom- 
mend this religious usage universally wherever it is not attended with very 
great inconvenience, and prepare the mind of their flo'^ks for its adoption in 
a short time. 

4. The pastors of the Faithful are earnestly directed to discourage more 
and more from the pulpit, and in their public and private conferences an 
attachment to entertainments and diversions of dangerous tendency to 
morality, sucn as to frequent theatres, and cherish a fondness for dancing 
assemblies. They likewise must often warn their congregations against the 
reading of books dangerous to Faith & morals and especially a promiscuos 
reading of all kinds of novels. The faithful ttiemselves should always re- 
member the severity with which the Church, guided by the Holy Ghost 
constantly prohibited writings calculated to diminish the respect due to our 
Holy Religion. 

.'). The Archbishop and Bishops enjoin on all priests exercising in their 
respective Dlocesses faculties for the administration of the sacraments, not 
to admit to those of penance and the Bd. Eucharist, such persons as are 
known to belong to the association commonly called Freemasons, unless these 
persons seriously promise to abstain forever after from going to tneir Lodges 
and professing themselves to belong to their Society, and Pastors of Congre- 
gations shall frequently recommend to all under their care never to join with 
or become members of said fraternity. (Signed) 

t J., Arp. of B're. 

t Leonard, Bp. of Gortyna, 

Coadjutor of B're. 
t Michael. Bp. of Phila. 
t Benedict Joseph, Bp. of Bardstown. 

fJoHN, Bis'p of Boston. 
Balt're, Nov. 15, ISIO. 



46 
KEGULATf JNS 

Given by tbe Archbishop Carroll, and the other Bishops, Nov., 1810. 

1. Provincial Council. — 

It appears to the Archbishop and Bishops now assembled, that the holding 
of a Provincial Council will be more advantageous at a future period when 
the situation and wants of the different Dioceses will be more exactly 
kpown. This Provincial Council will be held at furtherest within two years 
from the first of November, 1810 ; and in the meantime the Archbishop and 
Bishops will now consider together such matters as appear to them the most 
urgent & they recommend an uniform practice in regard to their decisions, 
until the holding of the said Provincial Council. 

2. Diocesan Synod. 

The difficulty of frequently holding Diocesan Synods shall be represented to 

the Holy See; and that the time of assembling them be left to the discretion 
of the respective Bishops. But in the case any should neglect the calling of 
a Diocesan Synod, when easily practicable & requisite tor the good of his 
Diocese, the Archbishops shall take lawful measures for the convocation of 
such Synod 

3. Episcopal Visits. 

It shall be represented to the Holy See that annual visits of the whole Dio- 
cese are in this country, altogether impracticable, and would prove an in- 
supportable burden to the Bishops. The time and frequency of such visits 
ought therefore to be left to the discretion of each Bishop. Every Bishop 
however is requested to visit every year part of his Diocese & to bear in mind 
the importance and usefulness of such visits. 

4. Nomination of Bishops. 

In case the Holy See will graciously permit the nomination to vacant Bish- 
oprick to be made in the United States, it is humbly and respectfully sug- 
gested tothe Supreme Pastor of the Church to allow the nomination for the 
vacant Diocess to proceed solely from the Archbishops and Bishops of ,this 
ecclesiastical Province. 

5. Priests who are members of Secular or regular Congregations. 
When Priests belonging to Secular or regular Congregations have, with the 

consent of their Superiors, been intrusted with the care of Souls, it is our 
opinion that such Priest ought not to be at the disposal of their Superiors, 
& be recalled against the will of the Bishops. But at the same time we 
profess most willingly our esteem and respect for these Congregations so 
useful to our Diocesses, and our confidence to their Superiors. We shall 
see with pleasure our Diocesans follow their vocations, when they wish to 
become members of the said Congregations. Nor do we intend to insist 
upon employing in the ministry such subjects as are really wanted by the 
said Congregations or even to oppose the recall of the Priests already em- 
ployed in the ministry, provided such recall shall appear to the Diocesan 
Bishops absolutely necessary for the existence of welfare of such Congre- 
gations, 



47 

6. Priests residing on the confines of flij^erent Dioceses. 

Priests approved in auv Diocese of the United States may exercise their 
faculties in the neighboring Dioceses ; but if such priests leave their own 
Diocese without obtaining an exeat, they are not allowed to exercise their 
faculties any longer than two months, except they obtain authority from 
the Bishop of the Diocese to which they have emigrated whose duty it shall 
be to proceed with them agreeably to the Canons of general discipline pro- 
vided for such cases. 

7. Strahge friests. 

Pastors of the different churches, or those who in their absence are intrusted 
with the caro of the church, are never to permit any strange, unknown 
Priests to exercise Priestly functions, before they have exhibited authentic 
faculties, or letters from the Bishop, and obtained his permission. 

8. Holy Scripture. 

The translation of the old and new testament commonly called the Douay 
Bible is to be literally followed and copied, whenever any part of the holy 
Scripture is inserted in any prayer-book or book of devotion and no private 
or other translation is to be made use of in those books. 

9. Vernacular language. 

It being made known to the Archbishop and Bishops that there exists a 
difference of opinion and practice among some of the clergy of the United 
States concerning the use of the vernacular language in any part of the pub- 
lic service, and in the administration of the Sacraments, it is hereby enjoined 
on all Pripsts not only to celebrate the whole Mass in the Latin language, 
but likewise when they administer Baptism, the Holy Eucharist, Penance 
«& Extreme Unction, to express the necessary and essential form of those 
Sacraments in the same tongue according to the Roman ritual; but it does 
not appear to be contrary to the injunctions of the Church to say in the 
vernacular language the prayers previotis and subsequent to those Sacred 
forms, provided however, that no translation of those prayers shall be made 
use of except one authorized by the concurrent approbation of the Bishops 
of this ecclesiastical Province: which translation will be printed as soon as 
it call be prepared under their inspection. In the meantime the translation 
of the late venerable Bishop Challoner may be made use of. 

10. All Priests are requested to remember the obligation of recording 
and carefully preserving in a book for that purpose the Baptisms, Marriages 
Sc Burials of their respective Congregations. 

11. Ba2)tisms 

Conformably to the Spirit of the Church and its general practice, the Sacra- 
ment of Baptism shall be administered in the Church only, in all towns 
where churches are erected except in cases of necessity. 

12. When a Sponsor for a child to be baptized, cannot be procured, the 
child is to be solemnly baptized with the usual ceremonies, but only receives 
what is called private baptism. 



48 

13. Contrihutioy^s for Masses. 

On account of the rise in provisions and other necessaries of lifs, the retri- 
bution for a Mass is now fixed ac fifty cents. 

14. Marriages, 

Many difficulties having occurred in regard to the forming of a general rule 
that all marriages should be celebrated in the church as a practice most con- 
formable to the generalnliscipline: it was judged premature to make now an 
ordinanee on that subject ; but all Pastors are directed to command this 
usage universally, and prepare the minds of their flocks for its adoption in a 
short time. 

15. Yoios of Chastity. 

Perpetual vows of chastity ought not to be advised or even allowed to indi- 
viduals or pious associations of persons of either sex who are not members 
of some approved Eeligious Order. 

16. Public entertainments. 

All pastors of Souls are earnestly directed to discourage more and more, 
from the pulpit and in their public and private conferences an attachment 
to entertainments & diversions of a dangerous tendency to morality. Such 
as the frequentation of the theatre and a fondness for dancing assemblies. 
They are likewise to prohibit the reading of books tending to corrupt faith 
or manners, especially the promiscuos reading of all kinds of novels. The 
faithful themselves are to bear constantly in mind the severity with which 
the Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, has always proscribed writings cal- 
culated to diminish the respect due to our holy religion. 

17. Free Masons. 

The Archbishops and Bishops enjoin on all Priests exercising their faculties 
in their respective Dioceses not to administer the Sacraments of Penance 
and Eucharist to such persons as are known to be of the association of Free 
Masons unless they seriously promise to abstain from going to their lodges, 
and professing themselves to belong to their Society. And Pastors of Con- 
gregations shall frequently recommend to all under their care not to join 
with or become members of the said Fraternity. 

18. Benediction of the B. Sacrament. 

An uniform mode of giving Benediction with the B. Sacrament will be 
transmitted by each of the Bishops to the clergy of their respective Dioceses. 
Baltimore, Nov. 19, 1810. 

tJoHN, Archb. of Baltimore. 

t Leonard Neale, Bp. of Gort7na, 

Coadj. of Balt'e. 

t Michael, Bp. of Philadelphia. 

tJoHN, Bishop of Boston. 

t Benedictus Josephus, Bp. of Bardstown. 



DIVISION XIV. 

VISIT OF BISHOPS EG AN AND CIIEVERUS TO MOUNT -ST. MARY'S 

AND TO MOUNT ST. JOSEPH. — MRS. SETON — PHILA- 

DELPHIANS THE FIRST TO JOIN HER. 

After the consultation of the Bishops, a visit was made by Bishops 
Egan and Cheverus to Mt. St. Mary's, where Michael de Burgo Egan and 
Michael Connery, the nephews of Bisop Egan, were pupils with a view of 
their vocation to the priesthood. The Bish(jpsal30 visited Mt. St. Joseph's, 
Emmittsburg, to see Mrs. Seton, Foundress and first Superior of the 
Sisters of Charity of the United Sliates. Mother Seton in writing to Arch- 
bishop Carroll said, '•! need not tell you our consolation in receiving the 
blessed Bishops, nor how many benedictions they poured upon us. We 
have been very sensible of this special favor." 

The visit is it thus related in Mad. De Barberey's Life of Mother 
Seton. (Po02.) 

"One of the Bishops called to Baltimore for consecration, Mr. Egan, 
was intimately connected with the Societv of tbe Sisters of St. Joseph. A 
niece of his. Miss Mary Egan, had placed herself some months before, un- 
der the direction of Mother Seton. The desire of seeing this young niece 
before reparing to his diocese, the interest which he bore, as a priest, to 
the first community of women born on the soil of the United States, the 
project which he had conceived already and which he realized four years 
later, of establishing the Daughters of Charity in Philadelphia, all these 
motives engaged him to pay a visit to Emmittsburg. Naturally, he was 



50 

not ignorant of the part which Mr. De Cheverus had taken in the conver- 
sion of Elizabeth, nor the interest which the holy Bishop bore to all that 
concerned her. The thought occured to him to invite him to accompany 
him in the little journey he intended to make. Taken by surprise, Mr. De 
Cheverus had not the courage to answer by a refusal " 

It would seem that Bishop Egan had obtained the promise of Bishop 
Cheverus to oome to Philadelphia with him or to accompany him to 
Conewago, for Father Dubois, Presiaent of Mount St. Mary's wrote 
Mother Seton : 

"'I have no doubt that Bishop Cheverus would most cheerfully agree to 
Jtay and to officiate for us on next JSunday if you could only prevail upon 
Bishop Egan to give up the prior, aud not very essential, claim he has to 
the company of Mr. Cheverus, whom I might send to Conewago next 
Monday. Exert all your insinuating eloquence upon the old Bishop— it 
m'ght have a good effect if it has half the influence which it has upon your 
devoted friend and servant {Mem. Litters & Journal^ Mrs. Seton Vol. 11, 
P104 5.) This seems to show that Bishop Egan visited Conewago after 
being at Mt. St. Mary's, but I have not been able to discover any trace of 
Ms presence there. 

Bishop Cheverus on his return to Boston wrote Mother Seton; **The 
liappy moments I have spent with you, and the Sisters, are present to my 
mind and stiH more to my heart. I almost envy their happiness aud yuurs. 
I hope their pious example has not been lost upon me." 

This sentiment could also have been that of Bishop Egan, who, in his 
visit, must have been consoled as well as filled with justifiabe pride, that his 
See city, Philadelphia, had given the first three Sisters to the Order founded 
by Mrs. Seton. Miss Cecilia O'Conway, Miss Maria Murphy and Miss 
Mary Ann Butler. (Life Mrs. Seton, Book V.) 

This first to join — Miss O'Conway— though a native of Ireland, was 
from St. Mary's parish, Philadelphia. She was the daughter of Mathias J. 
O'Conway, teacher and sworn interpreter of foreign languages. He went 
with her to Baltimore December 7th, 1808, and offered her to Mrs Seton as 
n child whom he had consecrated to God. She, in 1817, was sent with 
Sister Rose White and Sister Felicite Brady, from Emmittsburg, to open 
the first Orphan Aaylum in New York. Sister Mary Ann Butler was the 
daughter of Capt. Butler of Philadelphia. She joined Mother Seton in 
June, 1809. She died January 14th, 1821. She was the sister of Rev. 



51 

Thomas Butler who was born in Philadelphia in 1S03 ani died Feb. 9bh., 
1869, when Vicar General of the Diocese of Covington Ky. under Bishop 
George H. Carre!l, born July 13th,, 1803 in Philadelphia. Sister Maria 
Murphy was a niece of Mathew Carey. She joined Mrs. Seton, April 1809, 
and died Oct. 15th 1812. See L^fe of Mother Seton, p. 318 20 for an account 
or her sickness and death. 

We have a letter of Father Butler's, February 27th 1855, to Mr. P. 
Coad of Philadelphia, in which he says of Mathias J. O'Conway whose 
daughter was wife oi Mr. Coad ; 

"I have so often looked upon him with love and reverence— for his dig- 
nified manners, his patriarchial look— his learning and his pety. I assure 
you that none of the aged men whom I had been accustomed to see in my 
early days, have made so cherished and ineffacable an impression on my 
mind.'* 

DIVISIONS' XV 

INCREASE OF SALARIES —DISTRIBUTION OF PEWS. — PEW HOLDERS. — 
OPENING OF THE ENLARGED CHURCH. 

We have seen that in October, 1810, the salaries allowed the clergy of 
St. Mary's from January 1809 was SI, 000 and the collections estimated at 
S500. Two years afterwards, just before the consecration of Father Egan 
as Bishop, Father Rosseter informed the Trustees that unless the salaries 
were increased to S3, 000, Rev. William V. Harold would "abandon the 
church." 

The request was not acceded to. Father Harold went to Baltimore to 
the Consecration, but did not return until December with Bishop Egan. 
He seems to have impressed his judgment upon the mind of the Bishop, for 
on December 10th, Bishop Egan notified the Trustees that the salaries of the 
clergy were "not suflScient," On the IGth, to conciliate matters, the 

Trustees increased the salaries to S2.400 from January 1st, 1811, *'for him- 
self as Bishop and two assistants." 

Father Harold had "assumed a hostile and overbearing attitude towards 
the Trustees." At one time he declared "the church belonged to the clergy 
and with it the whole of the income." When asked how then were repairs 
and other expenses to be paid, he answered: "By putting your hands in 
your pockets." 



52 

In this year, 1810, the baptisms at St. Mary's were 267, an increase of 
41; the burials 154. an increase of 8, At Holy Trinity 152 baptisms, a de- 
crease of 4 and burials 91, an increase of 3. At St. Augustine's 103 bap- 
tisms, an increase of 13 and burials 29, increase of 9. 

At the close of 1810, the church improvement had been so far completed 
that the reopeuirg of the church for Divine service was set for Sunday Jan- 
uary 6th, 1811, the Feast of the Epiphany. The Trustees contributed $50 
to ''The Ladies of the Altar" for the adornment of the sanctuary on the 
occasion of the renewal of services in the larger and more highly adorned 
church. 

''The Ladies of the Altar" were a band of twelve young ladies caring 
for the Altar, organized in the Fall of 1809; they collected "a very hand- 
some sum" to which the Trustees added SlOO January 12th, 1810, Mease's 
''''Picture of Philad Iphia, 1811" says: "The Altar is highly finisjied and an 
elegant piece of work." On Wednesday, January 2nd, iSll, a distribution 
of pews among the subscribers was made. It was announced that the sub- 
scriptions for the enlargement were : 1 of $1,000; 2 of S600; 1 of S500; 
2oft300; 7 of $200; 12 of S1.50; 41 of SlOO. 

This was a total of $8,600. Of course there were smaller sums not 
especially recorded as entitling to ownership of a pew. As near as I have 
been able to make out the cost of the improvements amounted to $30,000 and 
that the contributions had aggregated but $17,000. The distribution of 
p3ws resulted in the assignments as follows : 

MIDDLE AISLE. 

1 R. W. Meade, 18 Vincent Ducomb, 

2 Jno. Ashly, 20 Amos Holahan, 

3 Lewis Clapier, 22 Mich. Durney, 

4 Capt. John Rosseter, 24 Jno. Byrne, 

5 Lewis Ryan, 26 Hugh Cavanaugh, 

6 Henry O'Neill, 28 Mich. Magrath, 

7 Chas. Johnson, 30 Jno. Keating, 

8 Jno. Doyle, 32 Francis Breuil, 

9 & 11. Savage & Dugan, 34 Cath. Mallen, 
10 Anthony Groves, 36 Edw. Mullen, 
12 Geo. Nugent, 38 Patrick Hogan, 
14 Isaac Hozley, 40 Jno. Dubarry, 
16 B. Sarazin, 



53 



12 3 Don Luis de Onis, 

4 Morgan Car, 

6 Francis C. Sarmeinto, 

7 Jno. Maitland, 

8 Jos. Snyder, 

9 Berd Gallagher. 
10 Capt. Jno. Meany, 
12 Nich. Ealing, 
14 Timothy Curren, 
16 Augustus Bousquet, 

18-22 Victor Pepin & Breschard, 

20 Tiios. Neuman, 

24 Jos. Donath, 



SOUTH AISLE. 

26 Hugh Christy, 

28 Jas. Boyle, 

30 Timothy Desmond, 

32 Nicholas Lambert, 

34 Thos. M. Lane, 

21 Dan'l. Dougherty, 

17 Mich. Waldman, 

37 Jno. McClinchy, 

41 Peter McGauly, 

42 Jas. Haveland, 
44 Jas. Mooney, 
40 Dan'l. Quiun, 







NORTH AISLE. 




(No 1 not named,) 




12 


Rachael Myors, 


2 


Cnas. Taws, 




14 


Philip Smith, 


3 


Patrick Callan, 




16 


Anthony Steel, 


6 


Jos. C. Springer, 




18 


Miss Caufifman, 


8 


Gerald Byrne, 




20 


Martin D. Dougherty, 


10 


Jasper Moylan^ 




36 


Edw. McDermott, 






NORTH 


GALLERY. 


1 


Jno. Grithth, 




3 


Jas. Quigley. 


2 


Jno. Lamb, 









SOUTH GALLERY, 



1 Felix McGugen, 

2 Fras. Mongan, 

3 McVey, 



Bartt. Kely, 

14 Thos. Hicky, 

15 Harper or McGuire, 



SOUTH END GALLERY. 



1 Thos. Reilly, 

2 Chas. Callaghan, 



6 Jas. Brady, 
9 Wm. Smith, 

7 Mich. Roark, 

OPENING OF THE ENLARGED CHURCH. 

On Sunday January 6th 1811, the formal opening oi the enlarged and 
beautified church took place. I have discoveied no account of the cere- 



54 

mony nor any published reference to it. Fathers Eossester and Harold 
were a<" this time assistants to the Bishop. 

To still further adorn the sanctuary, the trustees on February 4th, 
ordered a Crucifix to be carved by Willliam Rush, the celebrated carver, 
whose reputation stands distinguished among the artists of our city. — 
Where is that Crucifix now ? 

DIVISION XVI. 

"who owns the church."— THOMAS FITZSIMONS.— ARRIVAL OF REV. 
JAMES HAROLD. — DEATH OF GENERALMOYLAN.— EPISCOPAL VIS- 
ITATION OF BISHOP EGAN WESTWARD —RECALL OF 
FATHER BHITT FKOM HOLY TRINIVY. — DIFFI- 
CULTY OF GETTING ANOTHER GERMAN. 

On February 17tb, 1811, Bishop Egan wrote Archbishop Carroll that 
*^in conversation with Bishop Neale in Baltimore respecting St. Mary's 
church he always seemed positive in his assertion that it belonged to Mr. 
Harden [Harding] and that if the papers were examined he would be found 
right." 

Bishop Egan examined and found that St. Mary's ''with the lot of 
ground" belonged "solely to Mr. Harding and his heirs. The only witness 
to this deed is Mr. Thomas FilzSimons. Him I consulted on this occasion 
as I knew I could so with safety. I also left the deed with liim to have it 
recorded. He told me he would let me know after he had consulted the 
oflfice whether Mr. Harding had made any conveyance of this property to 
the congregation and received from him the following note: "The record- 
er's oflSce has been examined and found on September SOth, 1766, Mr. 
Harden conveyed to Adam Lake the lot of ground between 4th & 5lh St. 
except that part on which the church stands. You may therefore rest 
satisfied that the church with some distance to the West and South bound 
on 4th St. remains in Mr. Harding's h^irs." 

So far Mr. FitzSimons. 

Had not time to answer the Archbishop's inquiries respectirg the attack 
made in one of our papers against the pastoral letter ordaining prayers for 
HisHoliness; made noimpression-heard by mere accident-passed unnoticed." 

On March 16th 1811, Bishop Egan wrote Archbishop Carroll announc- 
ing "the arrival of Rev. James Harold, formerly, a respectable parish priest 
in the neighborhood of Dublin and uncle of Rev. William V. Harold. He 
came last from Rio Janeiro and has a letter for the Archbishop from the 



55 

I* 
Pope's Nuncio there. These will be presented by Mr. Thomas Maitland 

who leaves this morning for Baltimore. 

The unexpected arrival of Mr. Harold has made his nephew completely 
happy and should he remain us, he will be a great acquisition. Mr. Fitz- 
Simons has just now brouglit me the deed of D. Swan &s., to Mr. Hard- 
ing, which I left with him to have recorded and I avail myself of his 
nephew's going to Baltimore, to send to the Archbishop to have the opinion 
of a lawyer on the subject. Mr. FitzSimons entertains no doubt of its be- 
longing to Mr. Harding's heirs. He is the only witness now living of the 
deed and his knowledge of the transaction may be of essential service when 
the business comes to be discussed." 

Letter also speaks of Rev. Mr. Vanhuffel, ''takes little to influence his 
mind," and that Mr. Cottringer "wanted Holy Oil for Rev. Mr. Desmond 
of St. Croix and that late arriingement between Fathers Britt and Kenny 
produce peace." 

On April 14th 1811 General Stephen Moylan was buried "in the old 
ground" as the grave yard at church was called to distinguish it from ''the 
new ground" on 13th below Spruce part of whicli (vn Budd St. is yet unbuilt 
upon and in the possession of St. Mary's. General Moylan died of "debility" 
records the interment book. As early as 1S(>5 I be^an search for his grave 
but could not discover its location. Investigations in 187G resulted in 
obtaining the evidence of Mrs. Major William Moylan Lansdale of Baltimore, 
then 82, that General Moylan's remains were interred at St. Mary's— a head 
and foot stone place over them but that the body "had been removed with 
the rest." Where to was not known. (See letter in the I. C. B. U. Jour- 
nal, August 1877). 

Jno. Doyle became Sexton and Philip Smith treasurer April 1811. 
In 1811 there were 39 burials in the old ground, 88 in the new. Total 
127. Receiiits $857. 

At t^e annual election held April 16th, 1811, the Trustees elected were: 
Messrs Jos. Snyder, Lewis Ryan, Philip Smith, Peter Scravendyke, An- 
thony Groves, Thomas Maitland, John Doyle with Bishop Egan and 
Rev, William and Rev. James Harold. The charter required three 
of the Trustees to be clergymen. Philip Smitli was, on the organization of 
the Board, chosen Treasurer and Thomas Maitland, Secretary. 



56 

Though the church was now enlarged and the hopes of a year ago in 
that respect realized, disappointments too had been tbe portion of those en- 
trusted with the management, and strangest of all, "Who owns the church 
— the clergy or the people," had, as we have seen, become an irritating 
question. Debt was heavy. Money scarce. Dissatisfaction was growing. 
At a meeting of the Trustees on April 20th, 1811, the resignations of Messrs. 
Ashley, Ryan, Snyder and Scravendyke were sent in but no reasons were 
assigned for their withdrawal. So the Board refused to accept the declina- 
tions ''as no provision of the Constitution applied to such resignations,"and 
directed that the Secretary should notice them of all meetings and that they 
should be considered as Trustees. They did not, however, continue to act 
and so had nothing to do with the troubles of the year. 'There was trouble 
a brewing." At the election March 31st, 1812, they were again elected and 
served. But the other Trustees of 1811 in endeavoring to borrow $3,000 
'•to complete the different works of building" found "no person willing to 
lend to religious institutions." Philip Smith then advanced $2,500 because 
of "the absolute necessity under which the Board laboied for money." 

On June 5tb, 1811, Bishop Egan wrote Archbishop Carroll telling him 
of "the sudden departure of Rev. Dr. Britt and waited to know the impres- 
sion made on the congregation. I apprehended great ferment— had it been 
the case I would have exerted all possible means to have him recalled. 
Nothing I ap|)rehended took place. His place is supplied for the present by 
Dr. O'Brian on the Sunday Mr. Kenny is absent. 

"Mr. Marshall is soon to be consecrated by Bishop Neale. If he were 
sent to assist De Barth and Rolloff appointed to Holy Trinity, the peace and 
tranquility of that congregation secuied and the hope of that keeps the 
Dutch congsegation quiet. 

"Mr. FilzSimons is seriously indisposed. I often visit him and have 
spoken to him on the subject that ought to interest him most— he thanks 
me and promises he will when he gets better. I fear, however, he has not 
long to live and shall endeavor to do all I can, with God's assistance to dis- 
pose him to make serious preparation for the next world.* 

"I intend to commence my journey to Pittsburg early next month and 
visit the several stations and return by the way of Cone wago and Lancaster. " 

On October 8th, 1811, Bishop Egan wrote Archbishop Carroll saying he 

*Thoinas FitzSimons, Peniisylvauia's Catholic Signer of tlie Constituliou of the U. S., 
died August, 1811. 



57 

had "arrived home after an absence of three months. I left PhiiadelphJa 
in a very delicate state of health and suffered extremely in the journey from 
the excessive 1 eat and getting off the stas:e. Arrived at Pittsburg— soon 
recovered from fatigue and since enjoyed good health. But the satisfaction 
I experienced in beholding the great numbers of Catholics throughout that 
widely extended country and their punctuiility in observing their religious 
duties offers more than compensation for all tiiat I could possibly suffer. 

•'I have been highly gratified at the rapid increase of reiigion in the 
congregations I have visited and thisi gratification could be greatly aug- 
mented had I a few more zealous priests to send to their assistance, llev. 
Mr. Gallitzin is scarcely any longer capable of attending to the spiritual 
necessities of the very numerous congregation committed to his care. I 
have promised him an assistant when in my power. In Pittsburgh also 
they are crying out for another priest to assist Mr. O'Brien who has several 
other stations to atiend and of course cannot be with them sa often as they 
would wish. 

^-The Rev. Mr. Helbron's advanced age renders it necessary to provide 
for his assistance. In a word, without some timely aid from Europe, par- 
ticularly from Ireland, I know not how to provide for the necessities of the 
Diocese. To provide a German priest for Holy Trinity chietly engages my 
attention at present and I hope it will be in the Archbishop's power to 
facilitate the means of extracting me from my present perplexity respecting 
that church. 

"I understand that the Rev. gentleman who arrived here lately from 
Germany in company with the Rev. Mr. Kohlman's brother and passed 
through this city on his way to Georgetown would be very acceptable to 
Holy Trinity. The Rev. gentleman then will, I Lope, have no objection to 
his or Mr. Kohlman's brother appointment to Holy Trinity Church. 

Either of these would be received here with pleasure. I have every 
confidence that the Archbishop will exert his influence to facilitate as soon 

as possible the appointment of either. The Rev. gentlemen of the Society 

ought to consider that they have appointed Mr. Marshall, over whom I have 

every claim, to New York without even consulting me. Let them in some 

measure indemnify this Diocese for the loss of Mr, Marshall by consenting 

to the appointment of either the Rev. gentlemen to Holy Trinity. 

"I administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to about 14130 persons 

in the different congregations I visited." 



58 

This number would indicate the visitation of the Bishop to many 
**stations" where Catholics could be assembled for Divine worship. But 
few of the places the Bishop confirmed at are known. Besides the places he 
mentions in the above letter, we have testimony of his presence at St. Pat- 
rick's church, Sugar Creek in Butler Co. where Mr. Peter Dufify, the father 
of Rev. James E. Duffy, now of East Albany, N. Y., was confirmed. Mr. 
Duffy died in 1833 at the age of 86. 

Happily we have documentary evidence not only of the pre&ence of 
Bishop Egan with Father Gallitzin, the Prince Priest, as Bishop Egan 
records, but also the names of those he confirmed in a reord made by Fa- 
ther^ Gallitzin, a copy of which is preserved in the MS. Department of the 
American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia. That record gives 
the names and ages of about 200 youths and adults confirmed, 

HOLY TRINITY AFFAIRS. 

Father Britt, Pastor of Holy Trinity, had been called by Rev. Charles 
Neale to Maryland, and to provide another German as successor was a con- 
cern of the Bishop. The "Rev. Gentleman who arrived here lately" was 
Rev. Maximilian Rantzau with Rev. Paul Kohl man, brother of Rev, An- 
thony Kohlman. 

On October 14th, 1811, Bishop Egan wrote Arclibishop Carroll relative 
to the appointment of Rev. Mr. Rantziu to Holy Trinity church and 
the Archbishop's letter to Rev. Chas. Neale prevailing on that "Rev. gen- 
tleman" to appoint Rev. Mr. Rantzau to that church.* Father Neale had 
written Father Patrick Kenny regretting he could not appoint Father 
Rantzau. Father Kenny had written by consent of Vicar General Harold 
in the name of the Trustees. 

Bishop Egan concluded by saying: "it is indeed greatly to be regretted 
that we have no communication with His Holiness at this critical time. 
We may then easily obtain the power of calling out the members of any 
Religious Society established in this country when the nec^^ssities of the 
Diocese require it. The power is invested in the Bishops of Ireland because 
it is a mission country. The same reason applies much mo^e forcibly in 
this country." 

A pastor for Holy Trinity was, however, found in Rev. F. Roloff— but 
not until Father Kenny had, in the meantime, continued to serve that 
church, though evidently against the will of its congregation unless the 
English speaking members or attendants. 



59 
DIVISION XVlI 

TROUBLE COMING— THE FATHERS HAROLD ILL-TREAT BISHOP 

EGAN— BISHOP FLAGET— APPEAL OF TWO PEWHOLDERS AGAINST 

''THE sun's hostile FORCE." 

J.rchbishop Carroll in 1812 iu a letter to Father Beschter S. J., Pastor 
at Lancaster Pa., remarked that the ''Bishop oi Philadelphia will probably 
be in trouble soon." (Letter of Rev. E. P. Devitt S. J.. April 5lh 1886.) 

On January l4th 1812, Bishop Egan wrote to Archbishop Carroll that 
"on Tuesday 7th invited Father Hurley to dine and in his presence in- 
formed Rev. Harolds, that my ph}sician strongly recommended me to 
preach as seldom as possible, in consequence of my spitting blood, which 
he assured me would endanger my life if I persisted in preaching as con- 
stant as I had done. That I would, however, during the winter, preach 
occasionally at St. Mary's, Holy Trinity and St. Augustine's and would 
give them timely notice wlien I intended to preach at St. Mary's and that I 
expected they would preach alternately until they received that notice 
from me. Mr. Harold Jr. replied that he preached only every third Sunday 
as he did not consider himself bound to any moie than that part of the 
labor." 

Bishop Egan says the Harolds refused his pif)position and that he 
passed a sleepless night. Next morning saying Mass "I was afraid I should 
be under necessity of getting one of the priests to assist me holding the 
Chalice. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than the removal of the 
elder Mr. Harold from Philadelphia, as then I should have some hopes of 
living peacefully with his nephew. Could I prevail ou him to go to Pitts- 
burg, I would keep the Rev. Mr. O'Brien until the arrival of my cousin 
and then he could go to Lancaster to assist Mr. Br>ne in the various con- 
gregation he has to attend, and where his mother could so economically 
reside with him. 

Before I propose Pittsburg to Mr. Harold, I ask the advice of the Arch- 
bishop how to proceed if he refuses, as 1 very fear he will, as his great 
object is to make money which he cannot make there. I have no one else 
to consult, or advise with, except Mr. Sibourd, who entirely agrees with 
me in these sentiments." Father Sibourd was in Philadelphia the year 
following, as the archives at Baltimore contained letters, dates. Feb. 23d (fe 
Aprir26lhl813. 



6o 

On March 24tb 1812, Bishop Egau wrote Archbishop Carroll that he 
had received a letter from Bishop Flaget, saying that he was "engaged eight 
naonths in visiting the congregations in Kentucky alone, and was far from 
finished even in the State, so great is the influx of Catholics. So he had 
not time to attend the Bishop's meeting in BalLimore." At their meeting 
in 1810, after consecration, Xhe Bishops had arranged to assemble not later 
than November 1812. No meeting of the Bishops took place, however. 

Th'e annexed apt eal of a pew-holder to the Trustees, is of interest : 

Trustees of St. Mary'^s Church. 

Gentlemen; the subscribers, proprietors of 

pews No. 19 and 20 request of ye to consent to their desire of putting up a 
curtain or blind to the window connected with said pews in order to pre- 
vent the intolerable heat that proceeds from the Sun's rays during the Sum- 
mer's solstice from acting with his usual hostile force on the different 
persons of the occupiers of said pews, whose health and constitutions may 
be in a state not able to support his influence as was experienced the Sum- 
mer of 1810. Trusting to the plentitude of ye^r well proven wisdom and an 
acquiescence to the above request, ye will much oblige ye'r 

Devoted Servants. 

CHRISTOPHER O'CONNER 

* and signed for Mr. Dougherty 

April 22nd, 1812. 

DIVISION XVIIl. 

DECLARATION AGAINST THE TRUSTEES.— APPEAL TO ARCHBISHOP 
CARROLL. — TRINITY ALSO AGAINST THE BISHOP. 

The lay Trustees of 1812 were : Lewis Ryan, Joseph Snyder, Charles 
Johnson, John Ashley, Peter Scravendyke, Joseph Eneu, Anthony Groves 
and Edward Carrell. 

On April 2d 1812, Messrs. Ashley, Carrell and Snyder, the Committee 

''to ascertain what the Church owes, to make estimates of income and 

expenditure and propose means to pay debts." 

Committee reported debts were, S6775.08. 

Due the Church, $1514.82. 



S5260.26. 



The receipts amounted to ^8729 47. 

Expenses, . S3105.ll. 



Balance in favor of Church, $ 624.36. 



6r 

Committee reported they saw no way of being freed from debt, unless 
the services of one of their pastors be dispensed with and the salary of the 
clergy be reduced, so as to put them more on a footing with the olergy of 
New York, Baltimore and those of the other Catholic Churches in this 
city. (See full report in Carey's Miscellanies^ Vol. 2, No. 9850, O. M. 2, 
Ridgway Library.) 

At the meeting of April 22, 1812, it was Resolved to borrow $2000 to 
pay salaries of the clergy due April 1st and other debts. Bat the Com- 
mittee had no success ia the endeavor: nevertheless at the meeting July 
22nd, the Committee were authorized to borrow S500 more. 

The agreement between the Trustees and the clergy, was that $2400 a 
year salary should be paid quarterly jn advance. When the $600, to be 
paid, July 1st., was needed the treasury was empty. On August I8tb, 
the treasurer, Lewis Ryan offered $200 that had come in. It was refused 
and on Sunday August 23, the copies of the following circulars signed by the 
Bishop and Fathers Wm. V". Harold and James Harold, were placed in 
the pews : 

Philadelphia, A^ugust 22, 1812. 

"The clergy of St. Mary's church have given up t) the trustees, the 
pew rents and collections; and accepted a salary payable each quarter in 
advance. As this is our only support, we might have expected regularity 
in its payment — ancZ yet your clergy have been reduced tr the mortification of 
soliciting the Board for that purpose! The payment lohich should have been 
made on the first of July ! has been hitherto withheld ! Some time after it be- 
came due, the treasurer came to us, with the information, that he had no 
provision in his hands to meet our claims : But added, that a quarterly 
meeting of the board took place on Monday the 13th. of July. The hour of 
meeting arrived : and, as if the intention of your trustees bad been to 
laugh at our expectations, two membeis attended, expressing their regret 
that the other gentlemen had not come, to devise some means to pay us our 
salary. Notice for a convening a board was served ; and the number 
necessary to the tratsaction of business attended ; when it appeared, that 
the money which might have been retained for the payment of our salary, 
had been paid off by the treasurer, to the creditors of the Church. A 
resolution was then passed to raise the money by loan ; and a committee 
appointed for that purpose— the committee reported, that they could pro- 
cure no money : but the tr'sasurer informed us, that if thirty or forty 
dollars could be of any service, he held that sum at our command. 



62 

"Could it be your wish, to submit your clergy to such humiliaiion^ and 
from snch men as these ? Is our house to be thrown on the charity of the publici 
or the patience of our creditors ! Are our rights to be violated ! our feelings 
tortured ! and our character dishonoured ! by the caprice or the malice of these 
individuals? We cannot be mistaken, when we express our conviction, 
that you will reprove those men, who by injuring your clergy, have insulted 
yourselves V If these persons have laboured to carry on their plans, by 
exciting the jealousy of the people against their pastors— if by intrigue and 
unprincipled misrepresentation, they have sought to impose on the simplic- 
ity of some, and to encourage the malice of others— and if by these 
unworthy means they have succeeded in weakening the influence of our 
character, they have done to you a lasting injury, by diminishing the 
efficacy of our instructions. We have endured our wrongs in silence, so 
long as silence might contribute to your peace and safety ! But a just 
regard to the dignity of our character ! and a due feeling of respect to the people 
committed to our direction, forbid us any longer to be the passive victims or 
Men, who, whilst they are gratifying their own miserabh resentment, effect to 
promote your interests and to represent your feelings ! 

''We request a meeting of the pewholders on Monday next, the 24th 

Inst, at half past six o'clock in the evening, at St. Mary's Free-school. 

MICHAEL, Bishop of Philadelphia. 

W. V. HAROLD, Vic. Gen. | _ 

> Pastors." 
JAMES HAROLD, j 

Concerning the meeting called by Bishop Egan on Monday, 24th 
August, 1812, we have no record of its proceedings. Its actions may be 
discovered by the protest of the Trustees dated September 15, declaring, 
1st, that notice of meeting was expressly for a meeting of pew holders. 
There were others there and who would not retire but endeavored by threats, 
challenges and in one instance, a blow, to intimidate our friends 

2d. Time was not j,"iven to prepare a reply to the unfounded charges. 

3d. xiccusers, without being chosen, took the chair, making themselves 
judges in the case, thereby depriving pewholders of their rights The Res- 
olutions were previously prepared, irregularly passed, approving the clergy's 
conduct and censuring us without our being heard in our defence. 

4th. That the allegation against us, even if well founded, did not jus- 
tify the very extraordinary and unprecedented appeal; it was calculated to 
create feuds of which neither the termination nor consequences can be for- 
told.'» 



63 

Now that open rupture had taken place, adherents of either contestants 
were wiUing so contribute to maintain the position their favorites had 
taken. So money was contributed in enmity, which, had it before been 
given in love would have saved souls from ruin. 

Of the contributions to Bishop Egau, Bishop Conwell in 1830 wrote to 
St. Mary's Trustees saying: "My predecessor. Bishop Egan, being refused 
the means of subsistence by the Trustees of the year 1812, was under the 
necessity of exposing the circumstances to the generous and charitable 
Catholics of that day, for the puipose of being relieved. He was not dis- 
appointed; for the sum of SI, 000 was collected by subscription in the course 
of one week. The document is in my possession with the names of the 
subscribers in their own handwriting respectively, I should have great 
reluctance to follow his example in that case; but necessity has no law." 

Even money lenders, who, but a few months before, would not loan to 
"religious institutions" seem to have become willing to loan now that strife 
had begun— while another part — whom I think may justly be termed Carey- 
ites — were willing now to loan money to pay the salaries about which the 
strife had been made a public contention. 

But money brought no cessation of strife. Episcopal authoiity had to 
be maintained.— liegal rights had to be sustained. — Rights of patronage 
had to be determined. — Religion's name was used to do Enmity's work. 

The Trustees met on August 27th and the Committee authorized to 
boriow money reported that "they expect^^d to get it in a few days, as it 
had been promised." Certain persons were willing to loan $^000 "for the 
purpose of paying the salary of the clergy" if the Trustees would give bond. 

To the ^ppeaZ to the Covgrcgation, seven of the eight lay Trustees issued 
a pamphlet reply dated September 8th, rebuking "the total disregard of the 
reputation of the congregation that could have led to che address being dis- 
tributed in the pews and so put in possession of non-Catholics;" that Bishop 
Egan had been paid "as a Bishop" S800 a year from January 1809 to Novem- 
ber, 1810, although during that time he was not a Bishop, that the S213 
expenses to Baltimore might have been paid out of the extra salary as he 
had been paid above "SI, 400 to which he had no fair claim-" "It was 
never expected he should be at the expense of the journey himself, but that 
he should have advanced the money to" be repaid him by the different 
churches in the proportion agreed on and "that there never was a more 
frivolous pretence for creating disunion." 



64 

The salaries were $2,400 with "perquisites of various kiods and rents." 
This made the clergry's income about $3,600 and the Bishop had, from the 
other churches, S400, making S4. 000. This "was by far the most liberal 
endowment ever made for our clergy and must enable them to lay by a 
handsome provision for old age or inlirmity. Tins sum it was impossible 
they can spend en the scale they always have lived." So "they had not the 
necessity which would palliate an appeal to the congregation." 

The Trustees declared, "When we came into office April 1st, the treas- 
ury was neai-ly exhausted. The Treasurer advanced S600 to pay salaries as 
well as S550 to pay a debt but Father Harold told him the clergy were 
under no obligations to him whatever." On August 18th, S200, out of 
$'224.50, in the treasury was offered to the clergy and refused. 

On August 23d the "Appeal to the Congregation" was distributed to 
the pew-holders, while the $600 claimed was "not due until the last of Sep- 
tember." The Trustees declared the salaries had been gradually but con- 
siderably raised since 1789 and gave the figures and ended by declaring that 
"the higher they are raised the greater the dissatisfaction." They declared 
a willingness to let Archbishop Carroll decide the controversy aud that they 
would pay his expenses to, from and while in the city "out of our private 
funds" if he would come ou. That had the clergy not interfered in the 
election of lay trustees as they have done of late years "which has caused 
great dissensions in the congregation and lessened their dignity;" the church 
would also "have been freed of debt which was now upwards of $5,000." 
The pamphlet was signed by John Ashley, Joseph Snyder, Lewis Kyan, 
Peter Scravendyke, James Eneu, Anthony Groves and Edward Carrell. 

Charles Johnson, the other Trustee, it was declared would have nothing 
to do with the controversy, as a letter threatening to fire his house had 
alarmed his family so much that be had promised abstention from all con- 
nected with the Church affair. Others of the Trustees had received like 
letters they declared. 

On September 12th, was issued the "Protest of the Pew Holders, against 
the ]..ate Proceedings respecting the Conduct of the Trustees." 1. Re- 
spectability of Trustees— eminent service of the Church, make it highly 
improbable they could have been influenced by sinister Motives, in the 
steps that lead to the unhappy dissension. 

2, Delays of paying salaries for a few weeks, arising from a want of 
funds— did not warrant this extraordinary measure which, as might have 
been anticipated, has produced much irritation and discord. 

3. The harsh language of the appeal and the attempts to overawe them 
have a tendency to prevent suitable persons from taking the office. 

The protest was signed by 67 persons holding pews in their own right 
whose subscriptions (including that of the lay Trustees) for the enlargement 
of the Church amounted to upwards $8000. 



DIVISION XIX. 

Though harassed with troubles with the Trustees and with the Fathers 
Harolds Bishop Egan was concerned with the affairs of the Church as 
the annexed letter to Rev. J. Beschter, of Lancaster shows: 

Philada., Aug. 9th, 1812. 

Rev. Sir: 

Your letter of the 3d inst. affected me very much, I had flattered my- 
self with the pleasing expectation that the presence and assistance of Rev. 
Mr. Byrne by enabling you to pay more attention to your health would 
soon restore you to your former vigor, and for many years to come enable 
you to promote as usual the spiritual welfare of those congregations which 
already profited so much by your zeal and exemplary conduct. However as 
your present Religious Superior, the Rev. Mr. Grassi thinks that desirable 
object, the recovery of your health, will be sooner effected at Georgetown, 
I must, however anxious I may be to have you at Lancaster, consent to 
your going to G. T. and have written to him to this effect, telling him at 
the same time I will thankfully receive any Priest he sends me, wLo speaks 
the German language with the exception of Rev. Mr. Rantzau; my motives 
for declining the services of that Rev. Gentleman you are already partly 
acquainted with. 

P. S. Comp'ts to I I remain Rev. Sir with sincere well washes for 
Rev. Mr. Byrne. J for your speedy recovery, Your obedient Servant. 

Michael, Bishop of Philada. 



66 

TRUSTEES APPEAL TO ARCHBISHOP CARROLL. 

The Trustees on Sept. 17th, 1812, wrote to Archbishop Carroll. 
[Case II, M. Archives Baltimoi'e.l 

Philada., Sep. 17th, 1812. 
Most Reverend Sir: 

Having deep at heart the welfare of our Holy Religion, and most sin- 
cerely desirous and anxious, to re-establish harmony in the congregation of 
St. Mary's church to the pew holders of which we have lately been com- 
pelled by duty to ourselves and constituents, to issue an address in answer 
to charges preferred againt us by Right Rev'd. Michael, and the other two 
Pastors (we are informed that you are in possession of both these p ipers:) 
In our address we took the Liberty of saying we would refer all to you— if 
they agree to it we hope you wont refuse— but we are fearful from their 
silence, that they decline that mode— but while it remains in doubt, it 
would not be right or proper in us to state to you anything in addition to 
what is in our printed addiess. 

We hope your Health will permit your coming here, and the season for 
traveling being now good— we assure you it would, in addition be highly 
gratifying to us to again pay our Respects to you as our Spiritual Father, 
and which we sincerely pray that you may continue to be for many years, 
and in the enjoyment of good health. 

With respect and esteem we are yours, etc., 

'John Ashley, 

Joseph Snyder, Trustees 

Lewis Ryan, of 

■{ Peter ScravenLyke, St. Mary's 

I James Eneu, Church. 

I Anthony Groves, 

[Edw. Carrell. 

Endorsed. Trustees of St. Mary's, Sept. 17th, 1812. 

Of Trustees Conwell, Snyder, Johnson and Ryan, Rev. Wm. Harold 
said, when the Hogan-Harold Conwell controversy was going on, "I am 
acquainted with their worth nor do I know four men to whom I would 
more willingly commit what I hold dear." 

Mathew Carey at same time though contending with Father Harold 
said of them, "They formed, I am persuaded, as respectable a board as ever 
presided over the temporal affairs of St. Mary's congregation."— yet Father 



67 

Harold was reminded that he had applied the term "suc/i men as these^^ as 
indicative of scorn and contempt." 

In the meantime the friends of the clergy had been aroused. A meet- 
ing was called in St. Joseph's Chapel adjoining the residence of the Bishop 
in Willing's Alley. Its proceedings are thus reported. 

THE BISnOPlTES MEET. 

At a meeting of the Pewholders of St. Mary's Church held in St. Jos- 
eph's Chapel agreeable to notice the 2 1st of September, 1812, to refute the 
calumnies contained in the addre3s to the Pewholdersof St. Mary's Church, 
at which 187 attended, the Right Rev. Dr. Egau in the chair— the follow- 
ing Resolutions were adopted: 

Resolved, That after a mature and dispassionate investigation of the 
Pampiilet addressed to the Pewholders of St. Mary's Church by seven Trus- 
tees thereof, it is found to abound in gross falsehood and misrepresentations 
and that we repel with indignation the calumnies therein contained on the 
character of our clergy as well as to the congregation of St. Mary's— f^'' the 
Resolution 183 — against it 4. 

Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting the charges contained 
in the address against our Pastor, Rev. W. V. Harold, are false in fact. For 
the Resolution 185. Mathew Carey and John Carrell refused voting. 

Resolved, That the Trustees have forfeited all claim to our ConQ- 
dence as Trustees until they make public and adequate satisfaction to our 
Right Rev. Bishop, our Rev. Pastors, and to the congregation for the un- 
just aspersions on their character contained in the addresi issued to the 
congregation. For the Resolution 183 against it 4. 

Resolved, That the allusion made with regard to persons of other 

denominations to our Church is indecent and illiberal. For the 

Resolution 18G, against it 1. 

A motion was made by Mr. Carey that a committee of three be appoint- 
ed to mediate between the clergy and Trustees to restore harmony to the 
congregation. The question being taken on motion it was rejected unani- 
mously. A motion was made and carried to inserc the proceedings of the 
meeting on the books of the church. 

Charles Mulvey, Secretary. 

This motion of Mathew Carey's, opposed by Rev. \Vm. Y. Harold, was 



68 

*That a Committee of three be appointed by the two parties to devise best 
means of settling the differences between the clergy and trustees and of 
healing the breach that had taken place." 

The trouble between the Bishop and the Trustees of Holy Trinity 
church, while a matter of irritation, had not been so violently manifested 
as the contention at St. Mary's had made public. But the contagious in- 
fluence of the contest at its near-by- neighbor doubtless influenced many to 
abandon 8l. Mary's, and to not only attend Holy Trinity at Mass, but to 
have baptisms and marriages celebrated there. 

Bishop Egan issued a prohibition to the priests of Holy Trinity forbid- 
ding them to exercise pastoral duties to persons of other nationalities. 

The Trustees of Holy Trinity by letter of Joseph C. Sprenger on June 
17th, 1812, protested against this order and stating that this had always 
been done and that the fees had been a part of the pastor's support. 

On October 16th, 1812, a meeting of the Trustees ^was held. Present 
Bishop Egan, Rev. Wm. Y. Harold, and Messrs. Ryan, Eneu, Snyder, 
Groves and Scravendyke. The meeting "adjourned without doing any busi- 
ness'- say the Minutes. No meeting was held until January lltL, 1813. 

In 18-2 there were 43 burials in the old ground and 128 in the new. 
Receipts for burials S1104. Lewis Ryan in April was chosen Treasurer 
and Peter Scravendyke in charge of burial grounds. 

DIVISION XX. 

BISHOP EOAN ACKNOWLEDGES "HIS MISTAKE IN SIGNING TDE AP- 
PEAL TO THE CONGREGATION," — APPEAL OF TRUSTEES TO ARCHBISHOP 
CARROLL.— TO WHOM DID ST. MARY'S BELONG?— HAPPY TERMINATION 
OF DIFFERENCES 'BETWEEN THE BISHOP AND TRUSTEES." — THE BISHOP 
AND FATHERS HAROLD DISAGREE. THE BISHOP AND TRUSTEES IN 
HAHMONY. 

BISHOP EGAN TO ARCHBISHOP CARROLL. 

Oct. 29, 1812. 
Most Reverend Archbishop: 

The hurry of business in these holy days prevented ncjy answering 
sooner your affectionate and paternal letter. In my last I mentioned that 
my situation seemed to increase rather than to diminish. I understood 
a petition was to be sent to the legislature which among other articles 



69 

prayed that the clergy should be excluded from being members of the Board 
of Trustees. This determined me to have a meeting with them as soon as 
possible. I knew a counter-petition would be sent to the seat of 
government and that the dirty work that took place in consequence of this 
unhappy dissension would there be renewed to the scandal and prejudice of 
religion. To prevent this was my primary object, therefore, in the meeting 
I had with them, without entering into a minute detail on the untruth of 
their Pamphlet, whicli I knew would only cause irritation, I chiefly insisted 
in having that petition withdrawn and promised that at any fnture meeting 
no offensive language should take plice. In this I have fortunately suc- 
ceeded and hU things are now amicably adjusted to our mutual satisfaction. 
This I communicated to the congregration on the Sunday following, at 
which happy event they were all sincerely rejoiced. When first that pamph- 
let came out I did intend to require that each of them would allow me to 
mention from the altar that they were sorry for any expression contained 
in it injurious to the character of the clergy, but f knew it would be diffi- 
cult to bring them to make this concession, as they consider themselves the 
persons aggrieved in consequence of our prior address, and I candidly ac- 
knowledge the words of that address were never approved of by 
me, thought from a pliability of disposition I unfor uiiately sanctioned it 
by my signature, but it has been an instructive lesson to me of which I 
shall profit on all future occasions. In that meeting I promised them to use 
all possible means to bring my cousin Regan to Philadelphia in which case 
the elder Mr. Harold would be removed. So anxious indeed are they for 
his arrival they offer to defrav his expenses to this country. In case of Mr. 
Regan's arrival I have no doubt that Mr. Harold will make an appeal to 
the Archbishop against his being removed. But whether Mr. Began comes 
or not it is my intention to have Mr. Harold, Senior, removed, whenever 
I can be so happy as to have another clergyman in whom I can place confi- 
dence. It was sometimes the custom among the clergy here to interfere in 
the election of Trustees by influencing the members of the congregation to 
vote for a ticket of their selection. Now it is my intention some days pre- 
vious to the election which takes place first Tuesday after Easter to warn 
Messrs Harolds not to attempt to bias the minds of any of the congregation. 
The reason I wish for a meeting of the bishops before Mr. Flaget returns to 



70 

his diocese is an appreheusion that he would find it extremely difficult to 
take so long a journey a second time and from a conversation that Rev. Mr. 
Badin had with a French gentleman lately arrived in this country there 
may be news of His Holiness through the means of his Sister who lives at 
Fontainbleu and has frequent opportunities of seeing the Holy Father. A 
letter might be sent enclosed to our Minister Mr. Burton (or Barber) who 
would have it conveyed to her and from her hands to the Fupe. I have 
written Dr. Cheverus on the subject of our meeting, but as I have not yet 
received an answer I suspect him to be absent from Boston. I conclude, my 
Reverend Sir, with renewing my sincere thanks for your paternal advice 
which has taken a heavy load from my heart and remain with profound re- 
spect your most humble and obliged servant and Brother in Christ. 

Michael, Bishop of Philadelphia. 

This letter proves the ''Appeal to the Congregation" ot August 2od 
was an error and unjustifiable and that the clergy did influence the elections 
for Trustees. 

From this letter we get to see that Bishop Egan had concluded that 

Rev. James Harold "the elder" was a fomentor of discord or as he is re- 
ported to have said "Father James was the cause of it all." 

Mathew Carey in 1822, spoke of Rev. AVilliam V. Harold as "the fire- 
brand" of 1812, and as having an "overweening self sufficiency and arro- 
ga^iice." 

But "all things were not amicably adjusted." The Trustees on No- 
vember 2d, notified Archbishop Carroll that an appeal was made to him 
and that documents in the case would be submitted. Oa the 5th the fol- 
lowing letters was sent the Archbishop. 

Fhilad.'., Nov. 5tb,1812. 

Most Rev. Sir: 

Herewith you will receive the documents alluded to in our letter of 2d 

Inst, by which you will observe that every effort in our power has been 

made to bring about a reconciliation with Bishop Egan, but it has proved 

in vain as will appear by Mr. John Carrell's narrative as nothing short of a 

pu))lic acknowledgement and submission would satisfy him. Yet strange 

as it must appear Dr. Egan either dechnes or is unable to point out any 

errors in writing notwithstanding he has been repeatedly assured that we 

were disposed to make the most public reparation. 



71 

Our reply to the clergy's appeal is now alleged to be the great cause of 
offence, but surely they could not suppose that we would tamely and quiet- 
ly submit to the unfounded charges brought against us without endeavor- 
ing to vindicate our characters which had been attacked by them with such 
asperity and let it be recollected that the clergy began and not the Trustees 
although we shall be able to show we have had just cause of complaint. We 
are. 

With all Respect 

Your obedient servants, 
John Asulev, 
Edward Carrell, 

Committee of Trustees of 

Saint Mary's Church. 
Most Rev. John, Archbishop, Baltimore. 

DOCUMENTS. 

No. 1. John Carrell's letter to Trustees dated 19 September, 1812. 

No. 2. Call of Pewholders from the pulpit 20 September, 1812. 

No. 3. Trustees letters to the Right Rev. Dr. Egan 21 Sept. 

No. 4. J. Ashley and Edward Carrell appointed a Committee to ad- 
dress Dr. Egan to procure resolutions passed at the meeting at St. Joseph's 
Church. 

No. 5. J. Ashley and Edward Carrell letters to Dr. Egan 18 Oct. 

No. G. d d d d d 10 Oct. 

No. 7. d d d d d d 10 Oct. 

No. 8. Meeting lay Trustees; appointment of J. Ashley and Edward 
Carrell to apply to the Most Rev. Dr. Carroll to redress grievences 22 Oct. 

No. 9. Trustees' short address to Pewholders. 

No. 10. Protest of Pewholders. 

The state of mind of Bishop Egan and his concern for relief from trou- 
ble is shown in annexed letter. 

Philada., Nov. 7, 1812. 
[Copied by J. F. Edwards from a letter ia the Bishops' Memorial, Notre Dame, Ind. J 
Rev. Sir: 

The unhappy difference between the Trustees of St. Mary's and their 
clergy, along with many other domestic sources of trouble have so affected 



72 

my nerves that I can scarcely hold pen to paper or put the chalice to my 
mouth at the awful Sacriflce of the Mass without the assistance of a priest. 
Indeed my spirits are very much sunk and dejected ever since the departure 
of the Rev. Mr. Rossiter from this house. He was a real friend whose ab- 
sence I sincerely felt, and whose death I sincerely regret. The only thing 
at present that could effectually restore peace to my harassed mind would 
be the arrival of my cousin Rev. Mr. Regan. His gentle manner, his in- 
offensive deportment, his talents and eminent abilities as a preacher would 
I am persuaded, conciliate the mind of all people here and gain him the 
same esteem and affection he now possesses in Limerick among hisacquaint- 
ahces. I have written repeatedly and in the most pressing manner to Mr. 
Regan to come and join me. 1 have now some hope of being gratified in 
my wishes, as I find by his last letter he is now retired to his convent and 
no longer employed by his Bishop, and consequently wholly dependant on 
the will of his Provincial. Therefore according to his advice I have writ- 
ten to the Provincial requesting him in the most earnest manner to facili- 
tate the departure of Mr. Regan for this country by giving him an obedience 
to that purpose. Not knowing what effect our present state of affairs might 
have on his mind I advised him in a subsequent letter a few days ago to 
sail for Halifax, and once arrived there I could easily obtain permission 
from the government to have him sent here, I ardently wish I may not be 
disappointed in my expectations, ^:s I consider his arrival the best medicine 
to restore peace and tranquility to my mind and strength to my debilitated 
nerves. This letter has been written at different interva's and with great 
difficulty in consequence of the agitation of my mind which I know lought 
and will endeavor to compose. The Trustees, I understard, wish to have 
the unhappy differences existing between them and their clergy accommo- 
dated by the Archbishop. Had I any hopes that by his presence affairs 
could be amicably settled and that his state of health would allow it, I 
would request his interference. At present 1 am unacquainted with their 
views, all I know respecting them is that they were very busy some days 
receiving signatures among the congregation. How far they have succeed- 
ed and for what purpose I know not. When on a former occasion some 
dispute arose respecting the salary of the clergy I more than once declared 
to them, I never would forsake my flock were I obliged to live on bread and 



73 

water. But that it was their duty to support their priests. I remaiii Rev, 

Sir. 

Your obedient Servant, 

Michael, Bishop of Philada. 

It has been stated in objection to the course of the Trustees that as 
"they did not even possess a les:al title to the land on which the church 
stood they might therefore be t jected by the real owners at any time." 

The same also would have been true of Bishop Egan. The title was in 
Rev. Francis Neale, S. J., by will of Rev. Robert Molyneux, from Rev. 
John Lewis, from Rev. Robert Harding, from Daniel Swan and other pur- 
chasers of the ground by subscription of the people. 

Bishop Egan's investigations by Thomas FitzSimons had shown where 
the title stood. "The Society of Roman Catholics worshiping at St. Mary's, '^ 
when incorporated in 1788 was given the right to purchase property to 
a certain amount and to sell property "excepting always the said church 
called St. Mary's and the appurtenances thereto belonging." 

The right of patronage continued in Rev. Francis Neale as did the title to 
the "land on which the church stood."' He appointed Bishop Egan as his 
Agent for the property he held in Philadelphia and it was under a commis- 
sion from Rev. Francis Neale that Bishop Egan had the jus patronatus to 
to St. Maiy's. It was not until 7th Nov. 1825, that Father Neale conveyed 
St. Mary's to Bishop Con well, successor of Bishop Egan. The deed was 
recorded May 2nd, 182G. 

So that neither Bishop Egan nor the Trustees owned the land or church 
of St. Mary's by legal title. [Documents in American Catholic Historical 
Besearches, April, 1887 ] 

The annexfd letter of Bishop Egan to Archbishop Carroll shows nego- 
tiations with Father Neale: 

PiiiLADA., Nov. 1812. 
Rev. Sir: 

When I had the pleasure of seeing the Rev. Francis Neale in Lancaster, 
he presented a writing for my signature, as agent for the property he holds 
in this city; as this demand was never made on Rev. Mr. Rossiter who also 
acted as agent for the corporation in his time and as the expressions con- 
tained in that writing, appeared to me too strong I told him I should first 
consult the Archbishop before I could think of putting my name to that 



74 

paper. As Rev. Mr. Kinney is now in town I shall get Ijim to copy the writ- 
ing, and to witness my signature. I will send the paper to the Archbishop 
and if he approved of it I will ask him to forward it to Rev. Mr. Neale and 
if he does not approve he will destroy it. With respect I am 

Your obedient Servant, 

Michael, Bishop of Philadelphia. 

The following letter from Father Neale to Bishop Conwell, successor 
of Bishop Egan shows that the agreement which seems to have been aimed 
at whereby the title to Sd. Mary's might become vested in the Bishop was 
not reached. 

Indeed, it was not until November 7th, 1825 that Rev. Francis Neale 
conveyed St. Mary's title to Right Rev. Henry Conwell, D. D. [American 
Catholic Historical Researches, p 58, April, 1887.] 

ICopy from Original MS.] 

St. Thomas Manor, 1st May, 182 L. 
Right Rev. Sir: 

On my return from the country mission yesterday I received your letter 
of 26th ult. I am sorry that your subjects continue obstinate. Your Lord- 
ship demand to make our real property in fee simple to your person and 
heirs or assigns forever would, according to the laws of Maryland, render 
the same Land escheatable, which would never answer your Lordship's in- 
tention. Before I send you such an instrument I think you would do better 
to see the words, expressions, titles of the said instrument time of Record- 
ing, etc., which rendered the Recording of the deed to Mr. K. Harding nu- 
gatory. 

Your Lordship knows that without being naturalized real property can- 
not be possessed by you in the State of Maryland. It may be the same In 
Pennsylvania. If the deed to Mr. Harding gives me a right, I am secure 
that neither Mr. Harding nor Mr. Robert Molineux e7er gave any title to 
any person or body politic except by will and I am their only heir. I remain 
Rt. Rev. Sir, 

Your Very Respectful and Obed. Servant, 

Francis Neale. 

Rev. Mr. Beschter had no right. 

After the consecration of the Bishops in 1810 and the Conference then 



75 

held, it had been agreed to meet in November, 1812. But the unhappy po- 
sition of the Holy Father, as well as the war between this country and 
England, made the holding of the meeting difficult, and the circumstances 
of the Bishops as well as the fact that nothing of a serious character, and so 
regarded by all the Prelates, made the assemblying necessary. In June 
1812 Bishop Egan wrote Bishop Cheverus that "Biihop Flaget could not 
attend the meeting." 

Indeed the troubles of Bishop Egan seems to have made him alone of 
all the Prelates anxious for a meeting of his Brother Bishops, for though 
Bishop Cheverus wrote Archbishop August 31st "I thought the idea ot our 
assemblying in November was given up" yet as late as December 30th, 1812, 
he wrote the Archbis'^op ''The Right Rer. Bishop of Piiiladelphia has 
written to me: he wishes we would meet, but says only that s >me impor- 
tant matters might be settled. AVhat these matters are he does not eveu 
intimate." {United Slates Catholic Historical Mog.^ Vol. Ill, No 11). 

On December 17th, 1^12, Bishop Egan wrote Archbishop Carrol'. 

''Your last letter was a balm to my afflicted soul. Indeed I k»v« occa- 
sion of a friendly and consoling hand to support me under the pressure of 
difficulties which instead of diminishing seem to increase. I am naturally 
of a pacific disposition and have sacrificed much even within my domestic 
circle to secure it, but hitherto without success. Could I once be blessed 
with the presence of my cousin Regan I would have a person in whom I 
could repose confidence who would do his duty and ofifend none and give 
unusual satisfaction. 

I have returned from a meeting with the trustees. It has terminated 
to my satisfaction and I intend to congratulate the congregation on the 
happy termination of our differences with an earnest recommeudatioa to 
forget and bury in oblivion all that passed. 

My nerves are so affected that I would wish to have your permission to 
enunciate my sentiments to you through the medium of Rev. Mr. Sibourd 
in whom I can safely confide but will not take that liberty until I hear from 
you." 

In January 1813 the Bishop announced the restoratian of harmony 
*'from a paper which he had previously submitted to the Trustees and which 
had met their approval." 



76 

But the "differences" were not as yet at a "happy termination.'^ 
Bishop and Trustees were in harmony, but as Bishop Egan did not desire 
to have either of the Fathers Harold, especially, the elder— the Rev. James 
Harold,— near him the disagreement now lay between Bishop and hi& 
priests. 

In 1812 there were 171 burials— 43 in the ground at the church and 12& 
in the New Ground on Thirteenth Street. 

From Dec. 25, 1811-12, St, Mary's Baptisms, 259; increase of 8. Deaths* 
167, increase 11. 

Holy Trinity, 145 baptisms, decrease 7; 37 burials, decrease 52. 
St. Augustine's, 95 baptisms, decrease 8; 20 burials, decrease 9. 

DIVISION XX. 

THE FATHERS HAROLDS TO GO.— THEY ''RESIGN."— REV WM. V. 
HAROLD INFORMS ARCHBISHOP CARROLL. 

Let US return a while and see what Bishop Egan was saying and doing. 

Phil A DA, Feb. 1st, 1823. 
Most Rev. Archbih op: 

This morning I received the Archbishop's highly esteemed and anx- 
iously wished for favor of the 30th ult. together with a letter signed by a 
Catholic, a copy of which I now enclose for the Archbishop's inspection. 
Though written in an unknown hand I think no breach of Charity to be- 
lieve it to be the production of the Rev. Mr. Harold, Sr. Its contents per- 
fectly agree with expressions he has uttered on former occasions. It has no 
doubt bten written by some one of his friends according to his dictation in 
order to intimidate me. I shall make no other comment on the letter at 
present only just to observe that at the time I affected a reconciliation with 
the Trustees I made no compromise or stipulation with them for the re- 
moval ot either of the Messrs. Harolds, my sole object was to prevent that 
obnoxious petition being sent to the legislature. When I gained that point 
I did not choose to insist on any further demand. I afterwards informed 
them that I had written for my cousin and that on his arrival Mr. Harold 
should no longer be on that establishment. 

The report, however, is circulated through the congregation that the 
removal of Mr. Harold Sr. was the condition of my reconciliation with the 
Trustees. I acquainted two or three of his friends who spoke to me on the 



77 

subject that it was for certain motives of my own and not for any compro- 
mise with the Trustees that I wished his removal and requested them at the 
same time to contradict a report in circulation as far as they could. I 
thought it proper this morning to call Mr. Harold and know from him in 
the presence of Rev Sibourd and O'Brien, wtiether he still presisted in his 
refusal to go to Pittsburg. He replied he would go to Pittsburg still re- 
taining his claim as pastor of St. Mary's and the emolument resulting from 
it and that in case of the arrival of my cousin he would renounce all claim 
and title to St. Mary's and remain at Pittsburg in case he found it agreed 
with him. I own it may be hazirdous to appoint him to Pittsburg, but it 
is not publicly known that I have made him the offer. I think it better in 
Ood's name not to withhold it from him. A refusal of that appointment 
would no doubt afford him an opportunity of exciting some disturbance in 
the congregation. I did intend to inform Mr. Harold on his return that I 
could no longer consider him my Vicar General in consequence of his going 
away without my concent or permission, but if he persists in his determina- 
tion of going to Ireland next April it may be necessary to speak on that 
subject. I know his departure will cause regret in many on account of his 
extraordinary talents as a preacher. But I trust in a merciful God his place 
may soon be supplied by another, though not of equal ability, will still give 
universal satisfaction and that peace and harmony will once more be restored 
to this disturbed congregation. 

With Highest Veneration, etc., 

Michael, Bishop of Philadelphia. 

The contest was now one between the two Fathers Harold on one side 
and the Bishop and the Trustees on the other. 

According to the testimony of Charles Johnson, Rev. Wm. V. Harold's 
disagreement and want of accord with the Bishop was because he wanted 
the Bishop to have him appointed Coadjutor with the right of succession 
while the trouble with the Trustees arose by "the demand for an exorbi- 
tant increase of salary." 

But "Father James was the cause of the trouble," records Rev. P, A. 
Jordan, S. J. Bishop Egan in writing to. Archbishop Carroll, February 
6th, 1813, says, he had given a second admonition, in the presence of Revs. 
Sibourd and O'Brien, to Rev. James Harold, who persist in his refusal to 



78 

go to Pittsburgh, but was waiting the arrivhl of his nephew— Rev. "VVm. V. 
Harold— who was in Baltimore "to procure peace for the distracted church,'* 
as he wrote the Archbishop on his return on 16th Feb. 

Bishop Egan in h:a letter of the 6th continued, ''If I am not too impor- 
tunate I do wish to counsel with the Archbishop whether I may not tell 
him he is no longer my Vicar General." 

On February 13Lh he wrote the Archbishop, ''I intend next Monday to 
give him, (Rev. James Harold) the third admonition in presence of the 
same Reverend gentlemen. If he refuses I will tell him he is no longer an 
inmate of the house and request him to remove. ''Judge what my situation 
must be, I cannot long hold out in this unhappy state for should it continue 
longer it would send me to the grave." 

The Bishop mentioned that he had some noiion of going to Baltimore 
*'next week or the week following," with John Carrell: 

'•I have already sacrificed a beloved sister to gratify their resentment 
and now they want to have the sexton sacrificed to the same uncharitable 
disposition— he is married to a sister of mine." 

In mean time Rev. Wm. V. Harold had been to Baltimore "to procure 
peace for the distracted church," by consulting with the Archbishop. On 
his return he, on February 16th, wrote the Archbishop. He spoke of his 
"ungracious reception" by Bishop Egan "who refused to take his hand," but 
"inf jrmed him that he expected an apology for going to see the Archbishop 
without his permission" — and that "yesterday he had notified his uncle to 
remove. He, (Rev. Wm. V) had objected as this would serve to confirm 
the impression that Father James was the disturber of the peace." "I have 
resigned my place as pastor to consult my own peace of mind and my salva- 
tion, and on the last day of March I shall depart this house. " 

Archbishop Carroll replied on 20th. On 22d February Rev. Wm. V. 
Harold answered, "To your goodness alone can I attribute the opinion that 
my departure may be injurious to the American Chuich. My service has 
bern trifling though my wishes for its honors and prosperity were sincere. I 
carry from it the attachment of the poor and pious portion of the flock. The 
party at head of which Dr. Egan has placed himself would have a victim— 
they only waited your concurrence to sanction the sacrifice. They could 
obtain that only by deception. They have brought the affair to a conclu- 



79 

sion— all the honor of which I resign to them. The people expected that 1 
should assign from the pulpit the motive which induced me to retire. I 
could not do so without injuring their Bishop— the thing was therefore im- 
possible—indeed my very appearance could answer no other end than to 
excite to a dangerous ferment the feelings of these poor people. Religion 
might have suffered from this imprudence, and I have cause for long and 
bitter regret. I thought the only mode of conduct compatible with their 
safety and consistent with my character was not to take the pulpit. I 
therefore, had it yesterday notified to the congregation that my services had 
ended. I am tortured more with the affection of these poor people thau I 
could be by their displeasure. I shudder at the future. I shall leave this 
city as soon as I can. I shall seek peace in a country from which I regret I 
had ever departed, and nothing but the view which led me to take the step 
supports my mind at present. I have only to request the Archbishop that 
he will suffer no new proposal to be made to me as it could only tend to 
embitter the few days I shall have. As to my friend, Mr, Ryan, I know his 
nature to be too honorable to assign a cause for his conduct which he could 
think untrue and I believe his understanding too sound to submit to the 
influence of females or of knaves." 

The Trustees of 1822 in an "Address to the Lay Trustees to the Con- 
gregation of St. Mary's on the Subject of the Approaching Election" la 
1812-13, referred to the dispute between the Messrs. Harolds on the one 
side and the late Bishop Egan and the Trustees on the other "expressed the 
belief" that the quarrel was not produced by any improper measures adopt- 
ed by the Trustees to oppress the clergy, but by a most unwarantable effort 
made by the pastors to compel the Bishop to gratify their ambition by ap- 
pointing Wm. A. Harold his Coadjutor with the right of succession, to 
which the Bishop could never be brought to consent, as he had a relative iu 
Ireland of the name of Regan whom he designed for his successor; and in 
consequence of this refusal the Bishop was I'.uljected to insults and indig- 
nities from the Messrs Harolds. 

The dispute with the trustees was occasioned by a demand for an ex- 
orbitant increase of salary to which the funds of the corporation were 
inadequate." 

The Address also declares "When the Bishop had intimated to Philip 



8o 
Smith his determination to suspend the Messrs. Harolds, the Eev. James 
Harold, on Sunday, 21st February, 1813, in the presence of a numerous con- 
gregation, declared the intention of his nephew, the Rev, Wm. V. Harold, 
not to oflSciate any longer in St. Mary's Church, and that he, himself had 
come to the same conclusion. . The people were inflamed to the highest 
pitch against the Bishops and Trustees— meetings were called and resolu- 
tions hignly derogatory to the episcopal dignity and office were supported 
and claimed . . Thomas Maitland offered a resoultion which was adopted 
that the congregation should abandon the Church and fasten up their pews." 

Rev. Wm. V. Harold also, in 1822, in reply to the Catholic Laymen's 
Rejoinder referred to "my dispute with the Trustees in 1812" as follows: 
*'My salary in 1809 and 1810 was, exclusively of my board, S200 a year. 
Doctor Egan and Mr. Rossiter received no more. . 

The remainder of the income given to the clergy by the trustees was 
expended in the support of a large and expensive family then residing in 
the parsonage house. In 1811 matters were differently and more satisfac- 
torily arranged. Earsh of tiie pastors received S800 a year and each gave, 
from that sum, what was found sufficient for the common expenses. I was 
called to Baltimore by Doctor Carroll to preach at the consecration of Dr. 
Cheverus, which took place on First of November, 1810. 

If Mr. Rossiter asserted that I intended to abandon the church he did 
so uncommissioned by me . . . I revere the memory of Dr. Egan. I 
knew his excellent qualities. 

On the question to which you allude our opinions were, for a long time, 
the same— he was induced to change his while mine remained unaltered. 
The Bishop, on that occasion, acted on what he conceived to be the better 
view of the case, and I resigned my place in his diocese. Time and experi- 
ence have only served to confirm me in the opinion which I then entertain- 
ed. . . . It is notorious that a deputation from Philadelphia, with 534 
names signed to a petition to that effect waited on Dr. Carroll, to induce 
me to return, and that I declined acceding to his request on the principle 
which impelled me to resign, and which I could not sacrifice to expediency. 
. . . The Board of Trustees was then a Catholic one and they knew me 
to be a Catholic clergyman." 



DIVISION XXL 

Fathers Harold and Ryan go to England. Trustees pre- 
sent Bishop Egan S200. The Haroldites request Bishop to Re- 
store FATHER Harold. The Archbishop advises Bishop 
Egan to give favorable attention to the request, but he re 
fuses. Election overthrows the Bishop's Party. 

The minutes of Board of Trustees of March 13th, 1813, record: **Rev. 

James Harold having declared from the pulpit on February 21st in the pres- 
ence of the Bishop and the congregation that he was authorized to state that 
Rev. Wm. V. Harold would do no more duties in that church, and that he 
also, adopted the same resolution, and Bishop Egan informed the Trustees 
that he had accepted the gentlemen's resignation and had appointed Rev. 
Kenny as his assistant." 

On Sunday, February 21st, Rev. Wm. V. Harold was '^sitting before 
the altar" when hi? nephew announced the resignation of both. 

Bishop Egan ''gladly accepted the resignations." They "received his 
acceptance with astonishment and dismay, and were quite thunderstruck — 
they expected their services could not be dispensed with, and that they 
would be solicited to resume their functions. They met with no solicita- 
tion, but were permitted to retire in peace. [Rejoinder to Reply of Rev. 
Wm. V. Harold to Address of a Catholic Layman" issued during Conwell 
Hogan-Harold schism, 1821-4) 

We have learned of the extraordinary abilities as a preacher of Rev. Dr. 
Aarold, and so we may judge how excited many of the people became 
against Bishop and Trustees. 

But the "eloquent and elegant" Dominican waa not reinstated even 



82 

when a deputation had waited on Archbishop Carroll with a petition signed 
by 534 members of the congregation. 

"This novel, but being adopted by the Fathers Harolds, we must suppose 
perfectly regular and correct mode of resignation produced all the effects 
for which it was intended— the people were inflamed to the highest pitch 
against the Bishop and Trustees— meetings were called and resolutions 
highly derogatory to the episcopal dignity and oflBce were supported and 
cariied by those who now stand for the exclusive champions of both— nay, 
so far was this spirit carried that Thomas Maitland offered resolution which 
was adopted that the congregation should abandon the church and fasten 
up their pews." [Address by Trustees, St. Mary's, 1822, p 6J. 

The Sunday after the resignations of the Fathers Harold Bishop Egan 
said, * 'Father James was the cause of the trouble." (Rev. P. A. Jordan, 
S, J. in Woodstock Letters), 

Rev. Wm. V. Harold remained in Philadelphia a few months after his 
resignation. His adherents were steadfast in allegiance to him. When he 
left for Ireland, accompanied by Rev. John Ryan, he was presented with 
upwards "of $1,000 from the Catholics of Philadelphia." When in Eng- 
land he and Ryan spoke derogatory of the state of religion and the clergy 
.nd also of Archbishop Carroll, who was written to, July 18th, 1813, by 
, ev. Charles Plowden relative to the reports circulated by the two returned 
>riests. 

Archbishop Carroll thus spoke of the actors in this affair when he 
wrote Rev. Chas. Plowden in England: Mr. Ryan, O. S. D. "This man 
came to New York at end of Summer of 1811 and, as he said, without any 
intention of remainirg in the United States." He came to Baltimore to 
visit a siscer; he is a pleasant, good looking man and really possesses un- 
common talents for the pulpit and that kind of eloquence so much sought 
after in Ireland, which consists principally in imagery and splendid meta- 
phors." B'^ing in Baltimore he was asked by Vicar-General to preach 
more than once. His countrymen applied to Archoishop to] give him an 
appointment. "This was done and instantly a handsome allowance of £180 
per annum made up for him and paid in advance. He seemed quite content 
and good natured, and was so I believe until Rt. Rev. Dr. Egan of Phila- 
delphia, became much dissatisfied with a countryman of his own, the Rev. 



83 
Mr. Harold. This clergyman, likewise, is a man of decent deportment and 
very superior abilities but perhaps too high pretensions which were probably 
the first cause of his disagreement with his Bishop. He made a visit to 
Mr. Ryan, and desired me to interpose between him and his own Bishop. 
He and Mr. Ryan resolved to go back to Europe. The Archbishop thought 
"there was a want of candor in Ryan and of humility in Harold." (MS in 
Baltimore archives. Some Sketches of my answer to Mr. Chas. Plowden's 
letter of July 18th. 1813). 

Rev. Wm. V. Harold went to Lisbon and became Prior of a Convent 
there. Well for Religion in Pniladelphia had he remained there while life 
lasted. He returned in Bishop Conwell's Episcopate and the Hogan-Cou- 
well contention was largely due to his course. 

Rev. James Harold remained in Philadelphia a few months after the 
departure of his nephew. He went to Ireland and, fortunately, never re- 
turned to America. 

Rev. John Ryan died in the Dominican Convent, Cork, May 24th, 1852. 

Rev. John Grassi, S J. in a pamphlet issued (2d ed.) at Milan in 1818 
giving an account of The Catholic Religion in the United States said of 
the Diocese of Philadelphia: 

"In 1813 there were in the whole of this extensive Diocese no more 
than 13 priests amongst whom Prince Dametrius Gallitzin a Russian de- 
serves special mention for the zealous discharge of the duties of a country 
missionary." 

At the meeting of Trustees March 3d, 1813, at which Rev. Patrick 
Kenny presided, the following Resolution was adopted: 

Whereas, It has been represented that on the resignation of and the 
departure of the Messrs. Harolds, Dr. Egan had only $42.75 left to support 
his house and the two gentlemen who had been appointed to assist him. 

Therefore Resolved, and unanimously agreed to that the sum of S200 be 
given to Dr. Egan for the purposes of enabling him to support the estab- 
lishment and remunerate the two clergymen retained by the Bishop to as- 
sist him in discharging the duties of St. Mary's. 

But while the Trustees were thus testifying their co-operation and 
harmony with the Bishop the Haroldite adherents and malcontents were 
adopting resolutions of quite another sort. They sought the reinstatement 
of their favorites— Father William Vincent being their ideal of a pastor. 



84 

The resolutions were presented Bishop Egan and the next day— March 4th, 
1813, he sent copy to Archbishop Carroll saying they '*were adopted yester- 
day" and that he had proof that the "resolutions were framed before the 
meeting" and "think the Committee not capable of drafting in the language 

they appear in" and that '*they were probably drafted at Mr. Maitland's 
as the Harolds had dined there the day before." 

The Fathers Harold he considered "dangerous persons— they had given 
a stab to Religion which will require some time to heal— fear the spirit of 
Presbyterian ism rapidly gaining ground with the opposition party. "My 
fixed determination never to receive the Harolds as subjects of my Diocese." 

The Rev. Mr. Kenny is now with me and hope Rev. Mr. O'Brien will 
soon join me." (Father O'Brien was then in Baltimore disabled by an ac- 
cident). 

But the Haroldites, unhappily, were active and persistent in upholding 
the cause of their favorite. 

On March 8th, 1813, Bishop Egan sent Archbishop Carroll the letter of 
Chevalier Donis relative to the persistency of the Harolds to obtain signa- 
tures in their favor: 

"The Most Rev. Dr. Carroll would confer a signal favor on me to write 
I few lines in the style of a Pastoral admonition which I shall read from 
vhe altar or pulpit. An address of this kind I am confident would silence 
ill future applications and produce the most salutary consequences." 

But Archbishop Carroll did not accede to the request and though made 
once again, as we shall see, he does not appear to have complied. 

Father O'Brien had not yet come on from Baltimore and Bishop Egan 
in writing the Archbishop, March 9th, 1813, expressed concern that "Rev. 
O'Brian's wound is more obstinate than at first imagined "and hoping he 
would soon recover and come on to Philadelphia. "I must reject every over 
ture to reinstate Harold, Jr. "My personal tranquility and future peace of 
the Church must be sacrificed if he returns here." 

He reiterated most earnestly a request for Pastoral Address to the 
faithful. "The opposition were locking up pews and inducing others to do 
so. "I intend to appoint Rev. Mr. McGirr to the care of the congregation 
at Pittsburgh and those adjoining it for a time only." 

On March 13th, Bishop Egan wrote Archbishop Carroll "The rumor 
now in circulation is that the business has been and is of a political nature. 



85 

The Trustees are themselves divided in real political sentiment, hence the 
rumor is a cover or veil easily seen thro\ 

The unexpected appearance of Rev. Mr. Ryan, who remains with Mr. 
O'Neil, is an enigma to me. Two days elapsed before he called on me— as- 
sured me he had used eveiy effort to calm the minds of Harold's friends." 

The Bishop renewed his request for "a few lines as advice to be read to 
the congregation as your letter favored by Deputies will not be made public 
as it would detach many from their interest." 

On March 14th, 1813, Archbishop Carroll wrote the Trustees *'My in- 
tention was to recommend most earnestly to Bishop Egan a favorable at- 
tention to the subject of your memorial at least as far as Mr. W. Harold 
was concerned." 

Though Bishop Egan would not listen even to the recommendation to 
take into consideration the reinstatement of Rev. Wm. V. Harold his 
friends were not inactive. The election for Trustees was near. They knew 
votes were a force. They were active and tricky; the payment of S2 pew 
rent entitled to a vote. Rent was S4 a year. 

The pew rents for 1813 amounted to S1791.40 ''owing to the great inter- 
est excited by being deprived of our pastors almost all arrears were paid up" 
says a record. 

"Our pastors" were the Rev. Harolds. The Haroldites gave receipts for 
$2 to friends and so added many additional votes by a manner not before 
availed of. The election, April 20th, 1813, resulted in the overthrow of 
the old Board which was now the Bishop's Party. The election was from 
11 A. M.tol P. M. 

The election polls closed before all had voted. A few days after the 
election a meeting of the debarred voters was held at the Bishop's room to 
consult and discover "whether the election could be set aside as illegal." 
Among those present were John Ashley, John Carrell, Edward Carrell, 
Charles Johnson, Joseph Snyder and others of whom the names given will 
be noted as containing several ot the old TrustetJ with whom the contro- 
versy had originated. The Bishop presided but no action of the kind con- 
templated seems to have been taken. 

On April 6th, 1813, Bishop Egan wrote the Archbishop telling him of 
the unexpected arrival of Rev. Wm. V. Harold who had waited on him on 
Sunday 4th inst. with four gentlemen, Messrs. O'Neil, Maitland, Christie, 



86 
aud Smith. "I had been baptizing in the little chapel when on entering, my 
room they were in waiting." Judge my surprise. We saluted. I gave my 
hand to Harold. "I was called to a funeral when Rev. Wm. V. Harold 
inquired if after he should obtain leave from the British government for his 
uncle to remain in Ireland, I would accede to wishes of his friends to lein- 
state him in St. Mary's. 1 answered 1 had provided clergymen for St. 
Mary's. That ended the visit." 

On April 14th, 1813, Archbishop Carroll wrote the Trustees "I will 
therefore earnestly recommend to B'shop Egan to take into consideration 
the benefits which may ensue from Mr. Harold's return to his former situa- 
tion and weigh them before God against the evils which he apprehended 
trom his re- admittance to it." 

But the power of the Haroldites was not broken when Bishop Egan 
refused to reinstate Rev. Wm. V. Harold. 

To Archbishop Carroll's proposals to Bishop Egan to restore Rev. Wm. 
V. Harold to St. Mary's on April 27th, 1813, Bishop Egan wrote the Arch- 
bishop declining to do so, saying'*the peace of the Church would be insecure 
the advancement of piety would not be favored, and my personal happiness 

would be sacrificed. Every day and every proceeding give additional force 

to this my unalterable resolution. The Rev. Mr. Harold, Sr., has descended 

so low as to meet and confer with numbers of dray porters on the wharves 
and others of that description and direct them to favorite pewholders who 

by dividing amongst them the receipts for the amount of pew rents passed 
them at the election for regular voters, where they formed such a multitude 

and secured so completely the access to the windows that the respectable 
part of the congregation was prevented from approaching the officers ap- 
pointed to receive tickets. Three persons were induced to withdraw from 
St. Augustine's— Michael Doran, Mr. Desmond, and Mr. Fagan, with whom 
Harold, Sr., lodges, and consent to run as Trustees succeeded. *'But I 
shall be superior to all their endeavors and should they proceed to the most 
forbidding extremeties they shall find me immovable." 

This letter is endorsed by Archbishop Carroll. ''''This letter contains the 
proof of the Archbishop having proposed to Bishop Egan the restoration of W. 
V. Harold to Philadelphia and the Bishop" s absolute refusal.'''' 



87 
DIVISION XXIL 

Unseemly contest between the Bisbop and the Trustees. 
Bishop Egan's mother and brother.— Looking for "Pay Day."— 
Salary Refused.— The Bishop Firm.— Two Trustees Recede, — 
Refusal of Absolution to the Contumacious. — Bishop Condemns 
the Trustees.— They Reply.— Threat to buiid a Church for 
Father Harold. — Sharp Report of Trustees to Archbishop. 
Salary to be increased.— The Displeasure of the Bishop 
lessens. 

The Trustees elected by the Haroldites were John Doyle, Michael Do- 
ran, Hugh Christy, Henry O'Neill, Mathias J. O'Con way, Augustine Fagan, 
Timothy Desmond, Christopher O'Conner. 

At meeting May 4th, Mr. Christy was appointed Treasurer and Mr. 
Doran, Secretary. A Committee was appointed to examine into the finan- 
cial condition of the corporation. It reported that there would not be 
"more than about S700 in favor of the Church," and that some alteration 
is necessary as to the state of expenses of the church, and to provide for 
debts and interest due by the corporation. 

Bishop Egan refused to put the motion that the report be accepted. Ap- 
peal was taken and the Trustees decided that the motion was in order. 
Bishop still refused to put motion and declared it out of oider. 

**In the course of some conversation to which this proceeding gave 
rise say" the minutes '*Dr. Egan declared he was willing to take the sense 
of the Board upon any other business which might be proposed, whereupon, 
Henry O'Neill moved, and Augustine Fagan seconded a resolution, that 
amount of the annual salary of Right Rev. Michael Egan "as Bishop and 
pastor, and whatever assistant pastor or pastors he may call in, be S800 
from July 1st." Bishop Egan refused to put the motion and John Doyle 
was chosen chairman when the report and motion were adopted. 

The next day Bishop Egan wrote the Archbishop giving an account of 
the proceedings saying, that when the report of the Committee on debts 
etc., was presented "I declared it out of order." A "scene ensued that is 
more easily imagined than described.'* Mr. Kenny and I left the room to 
the unconstitutional meeting and withdrew at half past ten o'clock. Har- 
old, Sr., feeds the divisions and fanned the flame; he lodges with one Au- 
gustine Fagan, a printer, the most fiery zealot of all tbe Trustees. Harold 



-Ws 



88 

"cannot, I think, after such perverse and unparallelled conduct be permitt- 
ed to celebrate Mass in my diocese, nevertheless, I should be happy to have 
your opinion." 

From that time of "the scene," May 4th, 1813, to February 22d, 1814, 
no meeting of the Board of Trustees was held. 

The annexed letters show that his nephew, Michael De Burgo Egan, 
whom in 1809 he had sent to Mt. St. Mary's to be trained for the priest, 
hood, was on a vacation trip home, and that Bishop Egan's mother was, 
in June 1813, then in Philadelphia, and that his brother Thomas had re- 
turned from Louisiana and was then at Lamberton, N. J., near Trenton, to 
whom letters were sent in care of Mr. Sartori, the patron of the Church in 
Trenton. 

Philadelphia, June 10th, 1813. 
Dear Brother: 

I wrote you a few lines some time in the beginning of 
last week with an enclosed letter from Louisiana and expected an immedi- 
ate answer from you. I am surprised and feel considerable anxiety at not 
hearing from you for so long a time. I request you to write to me as soon 
as possible and inform me how you are succeeding and how you like the 
goner we sent to you. 1 shall anxiously wait your answer. Rev. Mr. 
:ley does not go to Trenton till the Friday or Saturday of the next week, 
w* ;n I expect my mother will accompany him there. We are all well here, 
jever enjoyed much better health if I except the tremor which still con- 
tinues with me. Yours affectionately, 

Michael, Bishop of Philadelphia. 
To Thos. Egan, Trenton, N. J. Care of Mr. Sartori. [Copy of letter 
in Memorial Hall, Notre Dame, Ind]. 

Dear Thos: 

I have an immediate opportunity of sending Michael ofE 

to Baltimore in a new gig that Fitzgerald is to take there on Thursday or 
Friday— it is delayed only on account of the late rains — if this facility of 
conveyancies missed it may prove inconvenient and prejudical to the plan 
upon which he is, now, to return. As soon as this reaches you, lose not a 
moment in hurrying him on to me. 

Let me know what may be your prospects in New York, and how you 
got out and home— I hope my Dear Mother is well recruited; tell her to im- 
prove as matters here are taking the turn 1 have long wished — Rev. Mr. 



89 

0*Brien has left us on the 18th inst. for Pittsburg, his health was declin- 
ing rapidly— this cause forced one to consent to his resuming his former 
situation to the great regret of his and my friends in Philadelphia. 

Mr. Kenny joins me in respect to my Mother, you and family. I re- 
main Dear, Thos., Your Affectionate Brother, 

Michael, Bishop of Philadelphia. 

Phila. 31st Augt. 1813. 

Mr. Thos. Egan, Lamberton. Care Mr. Sartori, Trenton. To be for- 
warded immediately. 

Michael de Burge Egan became a priest and President of Mount St. 
Mary's College. Sre an account of him in The American Catholic Historical 
Researches October 1890. 

Bishop Egan, in writing to Archbishop Carroll, June 10th, 1813. men- 
tions the arival of Rev. Mr. Varin, a Dutch Clergyman from Gutlenburg. 
He permitted him to say Mass for the four or five days he remained with 
Rev. Mr. Roloff and hope that Rev. Mr. Grassi will permit him after the 
time required to be received into the order for which he goes forward, to 
reside in Philadelphia where * ♦ ♦ much wanted, I destine him for 
Lancaster with Rev. Mr. Byrne in whose favor the endowment for that 
district will admit no embarrassment. Rev. Mr. Byrne ha*! applied him- 
self to the Dutch Language with such assiduity that he hears Confessions 
and has exhorted to the great benefit of his German brehren out. As to 
affairs at St. Mary's— they are in Statu Quo\ we wait for the 1st of July pay 
day of the ensuing quarter's salary. It will prove whether the new Trus- 
tees keep up to their resolution on the S800 scheme or not. Nothing but 
vague reports are afloat. 

Philadelphia, July 7, 1813. 
Most Rev. Sir; 

I received the enclosed letter yesterday from Lawyer 
Smith of Laucaster. He is very pressing as you may observe for an answer 
which I cannot give him until I know your decision on the subject. Mr. 
LeFever, I presume, has spoken to you before on the same business. In 
case it meets with your approbation to sell the two lots for the sum of S600 
it is my intention to have the money founded for the benefit of the clergy- 
men that may hereafter attend to that district. 

The first day of this month was the day on which our salary was to be 



90 

paid. On .that day the treasurer's clerk presented me with the following 
receipt for my signature: 

Received July 1st, 1813, from Hugh Christy, Treasarer of St. Mary's 
Church and Congregation, Two hundred Dollars being one quarter's salary 
in advance to me as Bishop of Philadelphia and the assistant Pastor of 
said Church being pursuant to the resolution of the Board of Trustees pass- 
ed°on the 4th of May last. 

This receipt I, of course, refused to sign. It was accompanied by the 
following resolution : 

Resolved, that the Trustees of St. Mary's Church and Congregation, 
after due deliberation, do enact, and it is hereby enacted that the annual 
salary to be paid to the Right Rev. Dr. Egan, as Bishop and Pastor and 
whatever pastor or pastors he may call in, to be paid quarterly and in ad- 
vance, shall be Eight Hundred Dollars and no more, to commence the 1st 
of July, 1813, and that all acts or regulations of the former Trustees, here- 
tofore, passed upon the subject of the salary payable to the Rt. Rev. and 
Rev. Clergy of said Church, on the 4th day of May, 1813, are repealed. 

MICHAEL DORAN, Secretary. 

To HUGH CHRISTY, 

Treasurer. 

lit is now known beyond doubt that their object in thus reducing the 
fijaiar.! was to lay me under the necessary of withdrawing the present cler- 
g ymen in order|that the elder Mr. Harold might once more be called into 
officiate at St. Mary's. Should he attempt to officiate there I should suspend 
him; in that case he may or may not appeal to the decisionof the Archbishop. 
He would, no doubt, have many adherents among the deluded people and 
thus a schism would be inevitably formed. I must therefore retain my 
clergymen at all events, and depend on the congregation for their support. 
They have already, unequivocally, declared that they will not suffer their 
Bishop and clergy to be dependent on the caprice of a few malicious indir 
viduals. I did intend to make known to the congregation on next Sunday 
from the pulpit or altar the evil consequences likely to ensue from the reso* 
lution passed by the present Board of Trustees, but a there will be a quar- 
terly meeting next Monday, and as I have still; hope some may be brought 
to a proper sense of their duty, I will postpone any publi ccommunication 
till the Sunday following. Some of the most respectable members of the 



91 r^O 

congregation intend calling on some of the Trustees and representing to 

them in the most forcible manner the dangerous consequences of persisting 

in a measure so sulversive of all spiritual authority. I have the pleasure to 

inform you two of the Board— O'Con way and Desmond— are impressed with 

the dangerous consequences of such resolutions and are now totally opposed 

to it. Could we bring one more over to proper sense of his duty, we would 

have a majority in our favor at the next meeting. No endeavors shall be 

left untried on our part to accomplish <"hat desirable object. Any advice 

that the Archbishop's superior judgment and prudence may communicate 

to me on this trying occasion will be gratefully received by his most humble 

and obliged servant. 

MICHAEL, Bishop of Philada. 

Bishop Egan concluded to use Church power against the obdurate 

Trustees and obtained Archbishop Carroll's sanction to his course. On 

July 12, 1813, he wrote the Archbishop: 

Most Rev. Sir: 

I have only a moment's time to acknowledge yours of July 

the ]Oth, and to return you thanks for its contents. As I am pressed by 

the closing of the mail I omit (?) all remarks to request your decision on 
the following points: 

Ist Is the refusal of absolution to be extended to all, who have voted 
for the appointment of the present Trustees and to the Trustees them- 
selves, such of them who persist in the measure of the resolution reduc- 
ing the establishment to indigence and degradation without the guilt 
of schism? or is the exclusion of Pastoral care and refusal of absolution 
to be confined in this case to such of the Trustees as retract not their 
share of opposition to the Episcopal authority. 
2nd. Is the prohibition to absolve that is to be notified to every priest 
in the Diocese only to take place in the event of actual schism? 
I request you to answer by return of post as I intend giving public 
notice on Sunday next. 

A quarterly meeting was to be held on Monday last 12th, according to 
act of incorporation and notices were issued— the hour was specified to be at 
6 P. M. The Rev. Messrs. Kenny and O'Brien, the two seceding Trustees, 
Messrs. O'Conway and Desmond and I attended punctually at the time and 
place mentioned. We waited until half- past seven when not one of theothers 
appeared nor did they deign to send an apology" wrote the Bishop, on 13th. 



92 

p. S. I shall take the liberty of mentioning on Sunday next ttha I 
consulted the most Rev. Doctor Carroll on the present affairs of St. Mary's 
Church, and shall state that the sentiments of the Most Rev. Archbishop of 
Baltimore coincide with mine. 

On Sunday. July 18th, Bishop Egan condemned the action of the Trus- 
tees in lowering the salary— how money had been borrowed for his support 
and that this method was not just. 

On July 25th, 1813, the Trustees issued the annexed address: 

TO THE CONGREGATION OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH. 

The Right Rev. Bishop Egan having, on last Sunday, at the altar, 

made the measures and acts which, in the discharge of our duty, as Trus- 
tees of the respectable society of Roman Catholics worshipping in St. Mary's 
Church, we deemed proper and necessary to adopt, for the maintainance of 
your rights' and the promotion of your interests, the subject of an attack 
upon our characters which we conceive unjustifiable and injurious; and six * 
of the Board for the heinous crime of having the integrity and firmness 
to adhere to those measures were more particularly pointed out, and in- 
formed, that unless they accommodated themselves to the wishes of Right 
Rev. and Rev. Clergy, abrogated their proceedings and fixed the salary of 
tb • Bishop and clergy at what they deemed necessary for the support of 
cneir establishment, they should be excluded from the Sacrements. 

We deem it unnecessary to make any comment upon this determina- 
tion of the Right Rev. Bishop which goes the length of making the salva- 
tion of any portion of his flock as far as participation in the Sacraments of 
the Church contribute thereto dependent upon giving or withholding the 
amount of money he may consider proper he should receive; we will barely 
remark, that if the Right Rev. and Rev. Clergy can, by denunciations and 

threats from the altar and the pulpit accomplish any object they may de- 
sire your act of incorporation is a deceptive nullity and should those hon- 
ored by your suffrages with the management of the temporal concerns of 

the Church, ever sanction such a mode of proceeding, by their acquiescence 
they would be guilty of a treacherous surrender of your rights and a base 
violation of the confidence reposed in them, which we assure the congrega- 
tion shall never be experienced at our hands. 

We presume we claim no more than a common act of justice when we 
* One of the gentlemen alluded to was then, and is ye:, absent from 
the city, which accounts for his signature not being to this address. 



93 
request the congregation to suspend their opinion upon what has been sub- 
mitted to them, until the whole case can be brought fully and fairly before 
them, in a correct statement of the business, and every transaction con- 
nected therewith, from its commencement to the present time; when they 
will be enabled to judge how far we are culpable, in resisting a most bane- 
ful irfluence to which must be ascribed the persecution and banishment of 
pastors, that served us with unexampled ahiliiy^ zeal^ and fidelity and the 
distraction and desolation which so unfortunately prevail among us. 

For the present we shall content ourselves with subjoining a statement 
of the income of the Right Rev. and Rev. Clergy for the present year; 

which, we are convinced, must satisfy every candid mind how little justi- 
fied the Right Rev. Dr, Egan is in aggravating the misery of our present 
deplorable situation, by an address, calculated to call forth and inflame all 
the bad passions of our nature. 

January 1st, IftlS. There was paid the Right Rev. Bishop Egan, S600. 

February IG. He received on account of next quarter's salary, $46. 

March 3. At the first meeting of the Board after the resignation of the 
Kev. Messrs. Harolds, there was voted to the Bishop and paid him the 5th 
of the same month "as a gratuity" $200. 

April 1st. He received S554. 

July 1st. There was tended to Bishop Egan, and is still held at his dis- 
posal, $200. 

October 1. There will be at his command $200. 

From the churches of St. Augustine and Holy Trinity he receives $400. 

The former Trustees, whom the Right Rev. Bishop has so unaccounta- 
bly and mysteriously taken to his bosom and instituted his advisers and con- 
fidants, and who are, of course, entitled to all credits have stated in their 
pamphlet that the casualties of different kinds and rents, received by the 
olergy, in the course of the year, amounted to $1200; making a total of 
$3400. 

Besides an exemption from house rent and whatever is received by the 
Rev. Mr. Kenny from his country parish, to which he frequently resorts, 
and wnich, till the misfortunes of the congregation introduced him to us, 
served for his entire maintenance. 



94 

Michael Doran, 

Christopher O'Connor, 

John Doyle, 

Henry O'Neill, 

Augustine Fagan. 
Philada. July 25, 1813. 

The above is copiecl from printed circular in the Archives of Balti- 
more in Case No. 3, Letter G. 

In August, 1813, Father Vincent de Paul the Trappist arrived in Phila- 
delphia and lodged with Bishop Esjan at the residence in Willing's Alley. 




ENTRANCE TO THE RESIDENCE OF BISHOP EG AN. 

He had arrived at Boston frLin France on August 6th, 1812, with one Sis- 
ter and two Brothers of the Order. He had been to Maryland; had sperib 
two weeks examining land near Milford, Pa., with a view ot settlement. 
In his Memoir he says *'Upon arriving in Philadelphia I toid the Bishop 



95 

how well disposed were the people whom we had seen and suggested to him 
to send missionaries there, but he told me he had none to send. If I had 
been free I would have returned to labor for the conversion of these poor 
people.." 

While here he baptized on August 22d, Rosetta DeSilva, Jane Haviland 
on 29th and John Paul on 30th. He was back in Philadelphia again the 
following January as on January 18th he baptized Sarah Ann Johnson, 
John Peter Scott, an adult on 23d, and Peter Robert M^iyot on same day. 
(Flick's French Refugee Trappists in U. S.) 

In September Rev. Charles Winter's arrived and did service for a short 
time as aid to the Bishop. 

Bishop Egan writing to tbe Archbishop August loth, 1813, says *'mat- 
ters at St. Mary's remain in statuo quo. Three deputations waited on me 
last week declared that if the Harolds were not r<iinstated a church should 
be built for them and that they would succeed. I answered I had not such 
a bad opinion of Rev. Mr. Harold, Jr., as to think he would act in defiance 
of all ecclesiastical authority." 

On November 11th, 1813, the Trustees wrote the Archbishop defending 
themselves and asking him to divide his compassion between the prelate and 
his flock. They recalled to him the words of his letters of March 14th and 
April 14th as to his willingness to have Father Harold restored to St. Mary's. 

The Trustees said, "We will meet our opponents on their own ground, 
give them a fair trial in the presence of those who have opposed. We shall 
lay before the congregation the whole of our proceedings, applications, re- 
monstrances, prayers and supplications made and repeated in vain, the let- 
ters written, the remonstrances presented to your Grace with the an- 
swer; then lei the congregation choose a Board of Trustees and give them 
their instructions; thus responsibility will be devolved on the congregation 
and free the Board, Signed by Michael Doran, Secretary. 

In writing the Archbishop, Nov. 13th, 1813, Bishop Egan said that 
*'with the exception of a tremor in my hand I enjoy good health." He had 
written more than ten letters to Father Regan to come to Philadelphia. 
"Were he here my troubles would soon be at an end." Had I acted with 
sufficient energy in the beginning as became the station I held I might not 
in all probability have become the victim of my own imprudence, Experi- 
ence has taught me a lesson I shall not soon forget." 



96 

This letter he closed by saying he has spent part ot four days :n writ- 
ing it. 

Letter Bishop Egan, Nov. 17, 1813, to Archbishop Carroll. 

Your answer to the Trustees— of which you will please send me a copy 
— will have a very good effect. It seems to me that this will be the last at- 
tempt to obtain the recall of Mr. Harold Jr., and finding it ineffectual they 
will no longer persist in their measure, at least to the extent they have 
heretofore gone. According to the information I have received I believe it 
is their intention to allow me and my clergy a salary of S1600 or S1800 a 
year till the debts of the church are paid. This sum in the present times 
would be scarcely sufficient to maintain a house and provide a decent suit 
of clothes in a year. The critical situation of affairs aie such at the pres- 
ent that I believe it will be prudent to accept of their offer, not indeed re- 
nouncing the just claim for the former stipulated salary, but suspending it 
for a time. The reasons which induce me to make this temporary consid- 
eration are these. First, the peace of the church which such a measure 
might probably contribute to and which if not acceded to would in all 
probability be in their hands the most effectual means of gaining a decided 
majority at the coming election, as they will stop short of nothing to gain 
their ends, while the respectable community would not descend to such low 
1 ^^'^^gue. Second, although the congregation will, with the exception of a 
BmaH number, condemn the violent measure of the trustees, and many have 
subscribed to the support of a Bishop and his clergy, nevertheless, I have 
re;' son to believe that they will not continue their subscription much long- 
, neither could I blame them when the funds of the church are not only 
adequate, but would likewise leave upwards of S600 in the Treasury accord- 
ing to the statement of the late Trustees. Third, as the money subscribed 
was given us as a loan I will be responsible for the payment. This would 
cause me much uneasiness, for although I know nothing would be dema..d- 
ed of me until justice had been dealt by the Trustees, my mind neverthe- 
less, would not be at rest, as I know not how long the present Trustees and 
others equally hostile will remain in ofiice.— The conversation of Messrs 
Harold and Ryan in England, respecting the state of religion and the clergy 
in this country, is not a surprise to me in the least, but by including in 
their misrepresentation, a Prelate so universally known and admired 
throughout the Catholic Church, they have completely defeated their mali- 
cious views. , After such conduct, however. I do not suppose they will have 
the hardihood to return to this country.'* 



HISTORY OF 

BT. REV. MICHAEL EfiAN D D., 

FIRST BISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA. 

BY Martin I. J. Griffin. 



DIVISION XXIIL 

CHURCH AT TREJ^TON.— INCREASE OF SALARY AND STILL DISCONTENT. 

— BISHOP AGAIN REBUKES THE TRUSTEES. —THEIR REPLY.— THE 
CHURCH AT TRENTON, LANCASTER A.ND HUNTINGTON. 

The following letter of Bishop E^an, kindly supplied by John D. 
McCormack, Esq., prior to its publication in his forthcoming History of 
the Church in Trenton, relates to the building of a church in the capital 
of New Jersey. It was sent John B. Sartori, Esq. 

Philadelphia, 7th, Jan. 1813. 
Dear Sir: 

Immediately on rect. of your letter this morning I called on Mr. Cox 
and acquainted him with its contents, representing to him at the same 
titne the advantage that would accure to his property by having a church 
built on his place; he answered it was in consideration of that advantage 
that he gave it so cheap, that he had given orders to his Agent to deliver 
up the plan, and that the bargain was concluded, and I could not break the 
agreement. 

However, though he considered the bargain complete, and that I could 
not withdraw from it on consideration of the object for which it was de- 
signfcd he, of his own accord, took off one hundred dollars of the sum stipu- 
lated for, so that the yearly ground rent will be now 21 dollars Instead of 
28. And if any more ground should be necessary there may be a clause in 
the deed securing a right of preference for whatever may be wanted. This 
is all I could obtain of him. 

If he insisted on an entire compliance with my contract with him I 
could not by any means on honor or justice break that contract. This is 
all the ioformatioQ which I can give you on this subject. 



98 

Please to present my best respects to Mis. Sartori and family, and be- 
lieve me to be with respect and esteem, 

Your Friend and Servant, 

Michael, Bishop of Philada, 

During 1813 the church was built. When ready for dedication Bishop 
Egan was notified. But on February 22nd, 1814, he wrote Mr. Sartori, 
*'From the multiplicity of business in Lent time and from an unexpected 
encumbrance thrown on my arms by the Orphans' Society of St. Joseph in 
whose behalf a grand Oratoiio is to be performed the first or second week 
after Easter, it csnnot be in my power to indulge my own wishes or to 
second yours until after that period." (Letter in possession of Peter A. 
Hargous grandson of Mr. Sartori. Copy supplied by John D. McCormack, 
Historian of the Church in Trenton). 

This *'grand oratorio" took place at St. Augustine's Church on 13th 
April. John Binns printed "T/je Tfort^s 0/ a Grand Selection of Sacred 
Music performed at the Church of St. Augustine in Philadelphia on the 13th of 
Aprils 1814, in aid of the funds of the Orphan Asylum of Philadelphia. 16 
mo. 19pp. JSabin Vol. xv, p 54] 

In February, 1814, Kev. Terence McGirr became a Trustee, though he 
had been assistant to the Bishop since October, 1813, as the baptismal regis- 
ter at Old St. Joseph's shows. 

The Bishop's infoimaticn, as early as July, 1813, as to a probable in- 
crease of salary was well founded, as at Trustees' meeting, Feb. 22, 1814, 
the Report of the Committee on Financial Condition of the Corporation 
said, under head of ''Salaky of the Clergy:'* *'The resources of the 
eorporation not being adequate the continuance of the salary paid the 
clergy for the former two years and a half, and the Board not being in pos- 
session of such information as would authorize it to fix upon any permanent 
sum for this object, instituted the present committee for the purpose of ob- 
taining a correct view of the finances of the corporation and voted the 
present sum as a temporary provision until it could be ascertained and a 
measure evidently adopted in reference to the large sum bestowed on the 
Right Rev. Dr. Egan at the close of the term for which the late Trustees 
were elected an 1 the sums he was known to be in receipt of from other 
sources; to their being at the time but one assistant pastor who was partly 
provided for elsewhere; to the very impoverished condition of the funds 
and to the weighty demands made upon them. It was deemed proper and 



i 



99 

necessary to insert this exposition of the motives and views of the Board 
under this aspect in order that the calumnies and misrepresentations for 
which it has furnished the pretext may stand refuted upon record." 

The report showed the probable receipts to be $4,215, and that there 
would remain a balance of SI, 502 in favor of the Church so an increase 
of the salary to SI, 600 was made, to date from January 1st, 1814. 

On March 14th, 1814, the Bishop wrote the Archbishop that "as to 
Rev, Mr. Harding's succession I consulted the late lawyer Moylan. His 
opinion was not favorable, I therefore thought it prudent to give it up." 

On March 20th, Bishop Egau addressed the congregation relative to 
the controversy as we learn from a circular distributed in the church by the 
Trustees on the following Sunday, March 27th: 

TO THE CONGREGATION OF ST. M VRY's CHURCII. 

In an address made to you, from the altar on Sunday last, by the Right 
Rev. Dr. Egan, your attention was called to an appeal made to you, by 
him, from the same place, on the 18th July last, complaining of the altera- 
tion made in the salary of the clergy; in consequence of which, you were 
told, he had borrowed a sum of money from certain individuals of the con- 
gregation; but that as the Board of Trustees could not be prevailed upon 
to sanction this irregular mode of compensating the pastors for their ser- 
vices, by paying debts so contracted, he did not conceive it just or proper 
to have any farther recourse to such an expedient; adding, that the propo- 
sal lately made, of increasing the salary to SI, 600 per annum, was so inade- 
quate to the expenditure of hid establishment, that the present assistant 
pastors would not remain with him; and concluded with giving you to 
understand that the object of that discourse was not to excite your indig- 
nation, nor your pity, nor to answer an electioneering purpose, no, no,— it 
was merely to prepare you for such a deplorable event. 

The irreparable loss the congregation would sustain, in being deprived 
of the eloquence^ talents^ zeaU activity, and disinterested attachment of these 
Rev. gentlemen, is of such maguitude, as to cause all former calamities, of 
a similar nature, to dwindle into insignificance; and renders some explana- 
tion indispensible en the part of those to whom it is attributed. 

When the subscribers succeeded to the trust, they found the income 
of the church was not adequate to the continuance of the salary then paya- 
ble to the clergy; and they deemed it their duty so to regulate it, as to 



., tf G. 



lOO 

enable the corporation to fulfill the ecgagement for which it stood pledged, 
and yet leave the Right Rev, and Rev. Gentlemen of St, Mary's quite as 
well provided for, as the other Catholic clergymen in this city or elsewhere. 
This was violently opposed by the Bishop, who maintained, that we had 
no control over the salary, except by way of addition! and that we had no 
authority whatever to do any thing in the Board which he might not think 
proper to permit! 

That the income of St. Mary's Church will not afford the sum of 12400 
for the use of the clergy, to whatever hands the management thereof may 
be committed, is demonstrated by the following facts: in January, 1811, 
the salary was raised $2400 ; and in July following it was found necessary 
to borrow $2500 from Mr. Philip Smith. The late trustees weie under the 
necessity of obtaining a loan to the same amount, last year, from Messers 
Girvan and Lentz. Were the present trustees bound to make good that 
salary, they would be obliged to agree to the demand made by the Bishop 
at the last meeting of the Board, and add $1500 more to the debts of the 
corporation ! We would ask any candid, rational man how must such a 
system end V And what must such a man's opinion be of the preposterous 
principle advanced by the Bishop in opposition to the express letter of the 
constitution, and in the face of all the practice that has obtained under it, 
that the trustees have no authority to make the necessary regulations for 
obviating such a result ? 

To satisfy our constituects that the measure adopted, and the one pro- 
posed, would leave the Right Rev. and Rev. Gentlemen of St. Mary's quite 
as well and better provided for than the other Catholic clergymen in this 
city, or elsewhere that we can learn, we beg leave to call their attention to 
our answer to the former address of the Bishop, dated 25th July last in 
which it is clearly proved that for the year ending in December last, he and 
the clerrgy would be in the receipt of 3400 dollars, if they chose. The only 
item in that account to which an objection was made, was that of the per- 
quisites ; and this was given upon the authority of those who had become 
the peculiar favourites of the Bishop and who, from their long and inti- 
mate acquaintance with the concerns of the church, mast be supposed less 
liable to mistake on that subject than others. But supposing the very liberal 
allowance of one third should be made on the score of inaccuracy in this 
particular, it would still leave the sum of 3000 dollars, besides the addition 
of th« proceeds from the Rev. Mr. Kenny's country parish. 



lOI 

By the measure proposed, the income of the Bishop and clergy for the 
year ending in December next, would not be less than 2800 dollars, upon 

the same principles, making same allowances on the score of casualties, 
and would, no doubt, be augmented by the same addition accruing to the 
Rev. Mr. Kenny, viz. 
From St. Mary's, - - - - - 1600 dollars 

From Holy Trinity and St. Augustine 400 

Casualties ...... 800 



2800 



The Rev. Gentleman who officiates in Holy Trinity church receives but 
400 dollars a-year salary. The subscribers have unquestionable authority 
for stating, that the net revenue of St. Augustine's church, of every des- 
cription, applicable to the support of the Rev. Gentlemen who do duty 
there, is less than 1000 dollars; one of whom, when stationed at New York, 
received but 400 dollars per annum, salary; where the compensation of any 
of the Catholic pastors is as yet but 500 dollars per annum. Yet all these 
gentlemen make out to live, respectably and usefully, without agitating or 
dividing their respective flocks ; or, by fomenting enmity aod strife among 
them, for the contemptible object of adding a few dollars more to their 
stipend, haz:irding the everlasting welfare of those immortal souls for whose 
safety the Eternal and Most High God shed the last drop of his blood ; 
notwithstanding their means of living are so much more circumscribed than 
those of the Right Rev. and Rev. Gentlemen of St. Mary's church. 

That the congiegation may be convinced the trustees prot)osed giving 
ALL they possibly could to the clergy the present jear, the following re- 
port of the committee appointed to ascertain the annual receipts and expen- 
ditures of the corporation, is submitted to their consideration : upon a pe- 
rusal of which the unreasonableness of the demand made by the Right Rev. 
ana Rev. Gentlemen must be as apparent to them as it is to their representa- 
tives. 

JOHN DOYLE, 

HUGH CHRISTY, 
CHRISTOPHER O CONNOR, 
MICHAEL DORAN, 
HENRY O'NEILL, 
AUGUSTINE FAGAN, 
March 21th, 1815. 



I02 

The report showed receipts of S4,215.01, and the expenditures of 
$2,652.61. This left a balance of Sl,562.40 in favor of the corporation to 
provide for contingencies, pay ofi debt and increase salary of the clergy. So 
the Committee reported in favor of increasing the salary of the clergy to 
$1,600 from January 1st; 1814. As "the utmost the finances will allow." 
On March 27th, Bishop Egan sent the Archbishop a copy of the above 
"hand bill distributed in the pews by the Trustees on 27th'' saying it was 
a "more indecorous handbill than any preceding publication. It contained 
false statements and insidious sarcasm against priests who lend me their 
assistance. 

The Catholics of Trenton have purchased a lot, erected a church, and 
are incorporated by the legislature of New Jersey. Their deed is not per- 
fected. I have mentioned it to Mr. Sartori and others that the deed should 
be in the name of the Bishop of Philadelphia lor the time being, but to be 
held in trust for ihe congregation of Trenton. I'd be happy you could 
suggest the wording of their deed in a manner that might prevent a recur- 
rence of the coercive measures and disgraceful steps of St. Mary's Board of 
Managers." 

On March 31st he wrote, "I have prevailed on Rev. Mr. Byrne, of 
Lancaster to admit Rev. Mr. Gaicia to his house and board. Whatever 
assistance in point of Mass and baptizing he can offer will be but a trifling 
help to Rev. Mr. Byrne. However. Rev. Mr. Byrne's compliance will 
naturally bring the Most Rev. Dr. Carroll's mind the urgency of supplying 
the Lancaster establishment out of the Dutch Fund as no Dutch priests 
can be procured." 

Rev. William Smith, Episcopalian minister of Philadelphia, founded 
in 1767, the town of Huntingdon, Pa., which he named after Selina Count- 
ess Huntingdon for her liberal donations to the College of Philadelphia, of 
which he was Provost. He gave to six of the religious denominations 
land for church purposes. 

On December 10th, 1788, he conveyed to Rev. John Carroll, for Ave 
shillings, two lots. The annexed letters of Bishop Egan to Archbishop 
Carroll refers to the sale of the lots. The tranfer, however, was not com- 
dleted in Bishop Egan's life time, as it was not until September 26th, 1815, 
that Archbishop Carroll conveyed to William Orbison. The deed was re- 
corded July 30th, 18L8. [Dates supplied by Rev. J. J. McDonald, April 
13th, 1891.1 



I03 

Philadelphia, May 9th, 1814. 
Most Rev. Sir: 

I return you thanks for the Huntingdon cor- 
respondence you were kind to forward me, and shall profit by your reflec- 
tions on the subject. 

If a favorable opportunity ofEers of sending you the papers in my 

hands, that may be necessary to make out a 1 conveyance to me of 

said Lots, in order to enable me to give a deed thereof to Mr. W. Orbison, 
I embrace it most willingly. As Miss Nancy CaufEjian goes to Emmets- 
burg and return by Biltimore to Philadelphia, the interval of her absence, 
from the time of her handing you my letters until she'll wait on you com- 
ing back, will afford sufficient time to have the draft perfected and favored 
by the same, our Mutual Friend. 

Should you judge proper to convey the lots to me, or to make or give a 
deed to Mr. W. Orbison at once, the one or the other is at your option, 
The letters I enclose will throw a full light upon the extent of commission. 
I gave Mr. Dearmond, my agent. 

I Remain Most Rev. Sir, 
with profound respect. 

Your Humble & Obt. Servant, 
Brother in Christ, 
[To Archbishop Carroll] Michael, Bishop of Philada. 

DIVISION XXIV. 

ANTI BISHOP TRUSTEES REELECTED 1814. — BISHOP EGAN'S "SITUATION 

distressing."— MATHEW CAREY'S APPEAL FOR COMMITTEE OF 

COJ^FEREMCE TO ^'TERMINATE HOSTILITIES. "— DEPLORABLE 

SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE. — CHURCH LOTS 

AT HUNTINGDON, PA. — BISHOP EGAN'S REGISTER 

OF. EVENTS. — FATHER GAREIS, A SPANISH PRIEST 

OF ''NO SERVICE."— DEATH OF BISHOP 

EGAN.-FUNERAL.— WILL.-VAULT 

FOR REMAINS. 

At the election April 14lh, 1814, the same Trustees were elected* 
Fathers Kenny and McGirr were the assistants to the Bishop and with him 
were Trustees under tbe charter. 

The election scene of 1813 was repeated at the election for Trustees 
April 1814. 



104 

On April 28lh, 1814, Bishop Egan wrote the Archbishop saying: ''My 
situation is becoming more distressing every day." He spoke of the perse- 
cuting spirit, and said a protest against the election had been made in the 
presence of a notary by 79 persons who were on the ground and could not 
vote. "In addition to all other trials I have to lament the death of a be- 
loved parent. Anxiety on my account I fear accelerated her death," 

On June 22nd, 1814, Bishop Egan wrote Archbishop Carroll saying, 
that **Dr, Gallagher, of Charleston, is in Baltimore and intends Phila- 
delphia—many of my friends are of the opinion that his eminent abilities 
as a preacher, were he stationed in this city, would be the most effective 
means of conciliating the minds of the people and restoring peace and har- 
mony to this disturbed congregation. I would wish to know your senti- 
ments and whether I should endeavor to retain him. Indeed, my situation 
is critical and becoming more painful every day. Messrs. Kenny and 
McGirr arft both absent and neither do 1 know whether thej will return. 

There was no Mass in the little chapel this morning as I could not 
venture to celebrate without an assistant priest. And Mr. Hurly's indis- 
position prevented him from attending. Should he continue indisposed for 
any time I fear we shall have no Mass at St. Mary's next Sunday, as I can 
have no dependence on the Spanish priest. 

The letter you have the goodness to write to Bishop Young of Limer- 
ick, will, I flatter myself, have the desired effect and remove every obstacle 
which might prevent the arrival of Mr. Regan in this country. Were he 
once here I should consider my difficulties nearly at an end. 

P. S. — I forgot to mention that I have received from Edward Jenkins 
$260, of the German Fund, destined for Rev. Mr. Byrne, of Lancaster. I 
have seen Mr. Hurly— he is belter, and will, I hope, say Mass at St. Mary's 
next Sunday." 

And ''at St. Mary's" that "next Sunday" Apiil 20th, 1814, was dis- 
tributed a circular addressed; 

TO THE MEMBERS OF ST. MARY'S CONGREGATION. 

Discord has existed in this congregation for nearly two years, to the 
scandal ot its members and the discredit of the church. Its enemies have 
rejoiced— its friends have mourned over the events that have occurred. 

History proves that in all divisions and schisms, there are almost al- 
ways errors on both sides. At all events, it requires but little penetration 



I05 

to see, and little candor to acknowledge that this is the case in S^ Mary's. 

It would be difficult to ascertain the exact proportion on either side. 
The enquiry would be useless, were it practicable. It is forborne. 

Interminable hostility is not made for the limited animal, man. His 
quarrells, how rancorous soever in their origin and progre&s, must sooner 
or later subside into suspension of hostility— if not into absolute peace or 
complete harmony, 

A suspension of discord is "a consummation devoutly to be wished.'^ 
There is no mode of effecting this desirable ol ject, that bids so 3 air to be 
successful, as a negociation by suitable persons. Terminate when the 
hostility may, it must be done in this way at the last A measure, which 
is highly desirable, and which must be ultimately adopted, ought to be 
adopted without delay. 

Reason, common sense, and religion all combine to urge us to make 
an effort to attain this object. Every year, or month, or day. of angry 
passion converted into the mild spirit of charity and forbearance, is a grand 
point gained. 

It is unnecesr^ary to urge how totally opposite the state of things— the 
prevailing temper of no small portion of the members of the congregation 
on both sides— are to the letter and spirit of the Christian religion. This 
topic is barely glanced at, A thorough discussion might excite painful 
sensations. 

It is therefore proposed that a few members on each side, who have not 
allowed their passions to be deeply excited, should confer in the suV-ject of 
a reconciliation. It is highly meritorious to make an offering on the altar 
of peace and forgiveness, of rightful claims where no principle is violated 
or abandoned. But the sacrifice for such an object of claims of a doubtful 
character, or unimportant nature is an incumbent duty. Perhaps sacrifices 
of the later description might easily be pointed out on both sides. 

This measure of appointing committees of conferences was proposed at 
an early stage of the contest, by the writer of this address—. It would, 
probably, have preserved the congregation from many painful -many dis- 
graceful scenes. It was rejected with disdain. Who but laments that such 
a measure had not a fair trialV It might have done good. It could not 
possibly have done injury. 

A Catholic Layman. 
•AprilJ9, 1814. 
The writer was Mathew Carey. 



io6 

Bishop Egan to Archbishop Carroll, May 6, 1814, speaks of "young Mr. 
Carroll of Queenstown, Md., desiring to take Holy Orders. Pressed for 
priests I am inclined to give him tonsure, minors and subdeaconship, but 
should be happy to have approval of Dr. Carroll." "The Rev. Mr. Byrne, 

of Lancaster, has intimated to me that if the German Fund be extended 
him it would be in his power to receive the Spanish clergyman, otherwise, 
he is too narrow in circumstances to answer his own demands." "The Rev. 
Mr. McGirr is gone to Pittsburg about his offers, I expect him back in be- 
ginning of July." 

I have not discovered whether young Mr. Carroll was ordained or not. 
If he was he was probably the fiist and only one in Bishop Egan's Episco- 
pate judging from the tone of this letter. 

"The Spanish clergyman" was Father Gareis. He was not of much 
service if he were not an annoyance to the Bishop. 

On May 24th, 1814, John Carrell wrote Archbishop Carroll relative to 
"the deplorable state of St. Mary's." He asked Archbishop Carroll to write 
to Bishop Young to permit Rev. J. Regan, cousin of Bishop Egan, to come 
to Philadelphia and also to use his icflaence with the Superior of his Order 
to let him come. 

Mr. Carrell mentioned that Rev. Mr. Maguire had gone to Pittsburgh 

and that Bishop Egan has only a Spanish priest with him, atd we are often 
without a sermon on Sundays. Dr. Egan's health and state of his mind 
will not allow him to preach. Our morning service does not occupy an 
hour, the church is very thin of people in the morning and almost empty 
in the afternoon when seldom more than six to ten heads of families are 
there by which the youth are left to idleness and immorality and profane 

the Sabbath." 

Thus had Discord in Religion's name worked havoc in the faith and 

debarred the sowing of its seeds in the minds and hearts of the young. 

BISHOP EGAN AS A RECORDER OF EVENTS. 

June 7th, 1814= 
Mo3T Rev. Sir: 

As I intend to have a register kept of the most important 
oe3urren33 since this Di3t>'ict of Philadelphia has been laid out as a Dio- 



I07 

crsp, I beg leave to trouble you for information on the following points: 

1st. The year and date of your address to his Holiness, submitting 
your plan for his consideration. 

2nd. The year and date of the Bulls from Rome confirming the divi- 
sion of the Diocess. 

There is another matter wherein I entreat and beseech your usual kind 
assistance— it is request of the Superior of the Sulpicians that the Rev. Mr. 
Bibade be permitted to come on my establishment until Providence shall 
be pleased to send me a Diocesan priest. For the Rev Mr. Gareis is no 
service to me. Would he conform to the appointed hours of celebratiug 
Mass— I should be satisfied, but the confusion that han ensued from the 
whole congregation being disappointed of Mass yesterday (as he would be- 
gin notwithstanding remonstrances tiiree quarters of an hour, or half an 

hour at least too soon) is not to be described, particularly in times like the 
pieseut. Moreover Rev. Mr. Kenny's attendance on the blacks bears heavy 

on his sore leg whilst the unexpected changes made and making by the 

venerable Abbot of La Trappe, deranges his farm business so that I am 
often obliged to put up with Ins absence, and with his occasional visits to 
West Chester. 

The Rev. Mr. Bibade, whom I write by this same post, being invaria- 
bly fixed (?) with me during the time above specified, if it is possible to 
obtain the favor, would remedy the many difficulties I am destined to en- 
counter, welcome be the adorable will of Heaven. 

I am Most Rev. Dear Sir, 

With the most profound respect. 

On reconsideiatiou I think it were more prudent to enclose Rev. Mr, 
Babade's letter to you, that in case of disappointment there may be no 
rumours afljat. 

Michael, Bishop of Philada. 

"The abbot of La Trappe" mentioned in the above and another letter 
was Father Vincent de Paul religious of La Trappe who in August 1812 
arrived in this country (at Boston) to endeavor to establish the Order in 
Country. An account of this eff>)rt can be found in Dr. L. F. Flick*s 

"FUENCH TrAPPISTS IN AilERiCA." 

At the time Bishop E^an mentions his presence in Philadelphia prepar- 
ations were being made for the return of all but seven of the Trappists to 
France. Father Vincent de Paul remained to "arrange our business 
and to recover my strength" as he says in his Memoirs, 



io8 




J 



FATHER VINCENT DE PAUL. 

The letter of Bishop Egan to L' Abbe Babade dated June 7th, 1814, 
in French tells him he had written Archbishop Carroll to obtain permission 
for his entry into the diocese of Philadelphia. 

To us the above letter does not indicate that Bishop Egan '*felt that 
his end was not far off," though Death was near as we shall see. He had 
not yet thought of soon dying as he had not made his will. The letter 
shows his anxiety for an established assistant as he seems to have been 
alone, save by occasions. 1 visits of Father Kenny or other priests. 

Though Bishop Egan had long been inflrm— for Bishop Carroll in 
recommending him to the Holy See in 1807 said "He is not in robust 
health"— yet we have seen that as late as June, 1813, he had written his 
brother "I have never enjoyed better health" still now. in Summer of 1814 
the record of his career finds him ill "unto death." 



I09 

In 1872, the followinof announcement was found in a copy of the New 
Testament edition of 1790 used by Archbishop Carroll for the reading of 
the Gospel: ''The Right Rev. Dr. Egaa, Bishop of Philadelphia, being very 
dangerously ill, is earnestly recommended to the prayer of the congrega- 
tion." {Catholic Mirror's Sketch of the Hierarchy). 

The next record is the announcement of the Bishop's death in all the 
Philadelphia papers, Friday, July 22nd, 1814, in the following words: 

Died —This morning, the R'ght Revd. Doctor Michael Eagen, the first 
Roman Catholic Bishop of Philadelphip, in the 53d year of his age. 

His friends are requested to attend his funeral, to morrow afternoon at 5 

o'clock." 

The day Bishop Egan died, Rev. Patrick Kenny wrote Archbishop 

Carroll saying, "That he had been the Qrst victim of Episcopal rights there 
cannot be the least doubt for his end has been permature." 

{Shea, III 218). 

To Catholics of to-day the death of a Bishop and his burial at five 
o'clock the next afternoon indicates haste, suggestive of an inquiry as to 
the cause of death. But the custom of the day, and not haste to inter, ac- 
counts for the burial the day after death. It was noted by John Palmer, 
an Englishman who visited Philadelphia in 1818 as a characteristic of the 
Philadelphians, "they bury their dead very quick, in two days af er death 
at farthest * * bells are not tolled at death or funerals." [Travels, p. 280]. 

In those days local news was not by newspapers regarded of any special 
account. The city knew what was going on without the need of its being 
published. So in none of the Philadelphia papers is there any mention of 
the funeral or attending circumstances. Yet we are not left without a 
record showing that full respect was paid the remains of the dead Bishop. 

In '''Letters from the South, and West, by Authur Singleton, Esq., 
Boston, 1824" is a letter dated, Philadelphia, 1814, relating: 

"The Roman Catholics have four or five churches in this city, as those 
of St. Augustine, St. Mary's and other Saints, which form an extreme con- 
trast to the Quakers. A short time ago the Catholics lost a Bishop in this 
city. He was laid in state for some days decorated with his pontificalia, 
tiara and white satin sandals. His face and hands were rouged like a 
waxen figure to represent life shocking counterfeit. Around him all day 
and night burned wax tapers, and stood the priests fanning and perfuming 
the air with incense and chanting Masses for his soul. I thought ot the 



no 

whited sepulchre. We should remember that for many hundred years we 
were all Roman Cptholics: nor can I ever forget that the great author of 
Telemachus was a Roman Catholic" pp 14 15. 

This seems to show that on Friday evening the remains of the Bishop 
were brought from Willing's Alley to St. Mary's church, and that a proper 
and respectful guard attended during the night, while the Mass on Satur- 
day morning and the recital of The Oflice for the Dead, and other prayer* 
may have taken up the day until the hour of interment— the close of a Sum- 
mer's day. 

Rev. P. A. Jordan, S. J,, in Woodstock Letters, says, Rev. John Grassi 
prepared the Bishop for death, having come to Philadelphia for that pur- 
pose in company with Rev. Clement Garcia, and that the Bishop died in 
room No. 3, of the present pastoral residence of Old St. Joseph's stretched 
on the floor in a form of a cross before the picture of St. Francis Assissium,. 
that Father Grassi celebrated the Mass of Requiem, and that Father Hur- 
ley preached the funeral discourse. Father Grassi also attended Archbishop- 
Carroll on his death bed. He died December 3d, 1815. 

The will of Bishop Egan was signed on July 6th, 1814, thus showing 
that he had been very ill ten days or more -prior to death. 

WILL OF BISHOP EGAN. 

In the Name of God. Amen. I, Michael Egan, Roman Catholie 
Bishop of Philadelphia, being by the Divine Will severely affected in body 
but of sound mind and memory, do hereby declare the following to be my 
last will and Testament. 

1st. I dtsire my Executors to defray my funeral expenses and to- 
cause one hundred Masses to be said for the repose of my soul which are to 
be equally distributed among the clergymen of my diocese. 

2d. I desire them to pay all my debts, the principal one of which, is^ 
due to Mr. Philip Smith. Two hundred dollars of said debt was incurred 
by me and my then Colleagues, the Rev. J. Rossetter and the Rev. W. V. 
Harold, on account of deficiencies in our salary, arising from and during 
the enlargement of St. Mary's Church, and was considered by us as a debt 
payable by the Board of Trustees, and if it is not paid by them then my de- 
sire is that it be paid out of my estate. 

3d. I desire that the residue of my estate, real and personal, be dis- 
posed of in such manner as my Executors may deem best, and the proceeds- 



Ill 

thereof invested in such funds as they may think most conducive to the 
accomplishiiient of the following purposes, vi0: 1st. It is my desire that 
my nephews, Michael Egan and Michael Connery be maintained and edu- 
cated in a suitable manner to qualify them for Holy Orders, and that when- 
ever they may be ordained they shall each receive one moiety of my estate 
and of my books and manuscripts. 

2d. If my s^id nephews or either of them on arriving at the age of 
seventeen or at any time previous to their receiving the Sacred Order of 
subdeaconship in the Roman Catholic Churt-h, should decline the ecclesias- 
tical vocation, it is my desire if one of them should continue in his vocation 
as above specified then the whole of my estate shall be applied to his use 
and benefit to the exclusion of the other, but if both of them shall decline 
the Priesthood, it is my dtsire that my Executors should apply my estate to 
the maintainance of one or more poor children in a suitable manner to 
qualify them for the priesthood of the lloman Catholic Church under the 
same term and condition as above mentioned and he or they shall on 
their ordination be entitled to my books and manuscripts at the discreiioQ 
of my saccessor in whose hands they shall be deposited for safe keeping 
until disposed of as herein directed. Finally, I do hereby constitute and 
appoint as Executors of this, my last will and testament, Jno. Carrell and 
Thomas Hurley, Jr., and have signed the same with my hand and seal this 
sixth day of July, in the year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred 
and fourteen. Declared to be my last will and testament in the presence 
of Michael Hurley and Jsoeph A. Wigmore. 

Michael Egan. [Seal|. 

Philadelphia, July 25th, 1814. Then personally appeared Michae 
Hurley and Joseph A. Wigmore, the witnesses to the afore going will and 
on their solemn oaths according to law did depose and say that they did see 
and bear Michael Egan the testator in the said will named sign and publish 
and declare the said will as, and for his last will and testament, and that 
at the doing thereof, he was of sound mind, memory and understanding, 
to the best of their knowledge and belief. 

Coram. Sam. Bryan, Reg. 

Thos Hurley, Jr., one of the Executors sworn on the same day and 
Jno. Carrell, the other executor, sworn the 20Lh day July, 1814, and Letter 
testamentary granted unto them. 



112 

Michael Hurley was Father Hurley, pastor of St. Augustine's, Joseph 
A. Wigmore was the sexton of St. Mary's. * 

Portraits of both witnesses are in the American Catholic Histori- 
cal Society of Philadelphia. 

Michael du Burgo Egan became a priest of Mt, St, Mary's College and 
succeerled Father Dubois as its President. He died at Marseilles, France, 
on 29th May, 1829; while returning from Rome. [See an account of him in 
The American Catholic Historical Researches, July, '90.] M'chael 

■Connery did not. Father Dubois, President of Mt. St. Mary's, in a letter 
to Mr. John Carrell, said, "Connery is a boy that gives no aiark of the 
vocation for which his uncle. Bishop Egan, wished him educated." 

The whereabouts of any of the books and manuscripts mentioned in 
the will of the Bishop is unknown. 

In what part of St. Mary' s graveyard the remains were deposited is 

not known, nor is there any evidence known to us to show that his grave 
fiad a memorial stone placed to'mark it until, on February 5th, 1830, the 
Trustees resolved to * 'erect a vault to place therein the remains of the Bishop 
and other pastors." 

Accordingly, the tomb back of the church close within the railings on 

the north side of the entrance to the burial ground— the elevated vault now 
there —was erected and the following inscription placed on it. 

THE VAULT 

BENEATH THIS TUMB WAS ERECTED BY 
THE CORPORATION OF ST. MARYS CHURCH FOR 

THE INTERMENT OF ITS PASTORS, 

WITHIN IT ARE DEPOSITED THE REMAINS OF THE 

RIGHT REV. MICHAEL EGAN, 

FIRST ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA WHO 

WAS APPOINTED PASTOR OP THIS CHURCH, 

APRIL 12Tn, 1803, CONSECRATED BISHOP, OCT. 2ftTH, 1810, 

AND DIED JULY 22d. 1814. 

AGED 53 YEARS. 
The tomb stone also records that the remains of Rev. Daminick For- 
i*estal are interred therein. He died 1846. 



113 
DIVISION XXV. 

FATHER- DE EARTH'S REFUSAL OF VICAR GENERAL. — APPOINTED AD- 
MINISTRATOR BY ARCHBISHOP CARROLL. — DECLINES, BUT IS 
OBLIGED TO ACCEPT. — APPOINTED BISHOP.— REFUSES. —TRUS- 
TEES WANT REV. WM. V. HAROLD FOR BISHOP. — ROME RE- 
FUSES-ARCHBISHOP CARROLL REBUKES INTERFERENCE 
OF THE IRISH BISHOPS.— PETITION TO THE POPE FROM 
ST. MARY'S FOR FATHER HAROLD'S RESTORATION 
REV. WM. HOGAN. -RELIGION AND RUIN.— 
REMOVAL OF REMAINS OF BISHOP EGAN 
TO CATHEDRAL ST3. PETER & PAUL. 

On July 27tb, 1814, Archbishop Carroll wrote the Trustees: 
"After being informed of the death of your late venerable bishop, and 
believing that he had not previously made any provision for the govern- 
ment of his diocese, which could survive his own existence, I concluded 
that the temporary care of it would devolve on me, as ihe metropolitan 
and the nearest bishop; and had begun to employ my thoughts about the 
recommendation of a successor. But having examined more leisurely and 
deliberately the circumstances of the case, and the ordinances of the 
church, 1 find that no right is left with me to iuterfere in the government 
lately vested in Dr. Egan. He nominated, several days before his death, 
the Rev. Mr. Lewis Debarth, pastor of Conewago, for his vicar- general; 
and upon full examination by some of my reverend brethren, and learned 
professors of divinity here, as well as by myself, it is found to be expressly 
ordained, that when a bishop die3, in whose diocese there is neither a cathe- 
dral, chapter, nor a coadjutor appointed with a right of succession, the 
vicar-general not only may. but is commanded to exercise all the authority 
of the deceased till the Holy See appoint a new bishop. The vicar-general 
enters on this office immediately in virtue of the power of the Pope him- 
self, and he holds it dependly on the Pope alone. This is the provision 
made for the continuation of episcopal authority, during the vacancy of 
the bishopric of Philadelphia." 

The First Bishop of Philadelphia being dead and interred, a relation of 
©vents immediately proceeding from his death may be of interest. 



114 

When "at death's door" the Bishop had appointed Rev. L. De Barth, 
of Lancaster, his Vicar General. On being so notified Father De Barth 
wrote to the Archbishop saying: 

Most Rev. Archbiahop: 

This day two weeks I received a letter from Rev. Mr. 
Rolof, informing me of our good Bishop being at Death's Door, and of my 
being appointed Vicar General. In the presence of Rev. Mr, Brittand Mr. 
Dowling I declared my intention not to accept of it, and would have imme- 
diately acquainted your Grace of it had I not been in hopes of the Bishop's 
recovery. This moment Rev. Mr. Maleve arrives here with the melancholy 
tidings of his Death. My determination is still the same, and I think it my 
duty to give you, most Rev. Archbishop, the earliest information of my non- 
acceptation of the appointment. 

Your grace is then to consider this Diocese as having no Vicar General. 
Sede vacante and act accordingly. 

Conewago, July the 24, 1814. [Archives Baltimore.] 

The purport of Archbishop Carroll's letter in reply may be understood 
from Father DeBarth's anfiwer. 
Letter Father De Barth to Archbishop C/arroll. Endorsed: "Mr. De Barth 

(not dated), but written abt. the 30th July, 1814." 
Most Rev. Archbishop: 

This moment 1 received, by Mr. Shenfelder, your grace's 
two letters— I did not expect their contents to be of such a distressing 
nature— I had flattered myself that your grace, knowing my incapacity, 
would immediately nominate an administrator on being informed of my not 
accepting the appointment of Vicar General. I beg leave to make a few 
observations, and as it is with a confused mind and a broken heart, I beg 
your grace to read me with your usual indulgence; it would be very hard 
for me to be obliged to take upon me a charge which my dying Bishop 
thought proper to impose upon me without knowing the reasons, I may 
have to decline it. The holy fathers did fly from such burdens, and your 
grace knowing my incapacity, compels me, poor fellow, to load myself with 
it. 

My reasons for not answering Mr. Rolof -s Letter was, because 1st, I 
considered it not an oflicial nomination, but une Lettre d^ avis from a friend; 
2nd, had I answered it and the Bishop be still alive, I would, may be, have 
been ordered peremptorily to come to Philadelphia at sight of the order. 



115 

Mr. Rolof expressly said that the Bishop would not live to the next day. 
What could my answer avail a Dead Man? 

I read with attention the extract of the Bull of Benedict the 14; it jus- 
tifies our Bishop in appointing a Vicar General and authorizes one to act, 
and the appointment if 1 accept, but does not compel me to accept of it; the 
case might be different had I exercised the functions during the Bishop's 
life or accepted the nomination which, as Rev. Mr. Rolof's Letter evinces, 
was not communicated to me in a legal and official manner. I see in none 
of the extracts an obligation to accept the charge in the present circum- 
stances. 

Your Grace threatens me with insisting on my submitting, in virtue of 
my promise in my ordination; this at once would oblige me resort to the 
Bishop who ordained me, and who never gave me an exeat or transferred 
me to any particular Bishop, but gave me a mere permission to go to the 
West Indies, therefore, to go to Philadelphia, will be considered by me as 
an order to quit this my adoptive and dear country and return to my native 
diocese, notwithstanding the repugnance I feel account of the unsettled 
state of France and many other reasons. 

I write upon my knees. Do not. Most Revd. Father, drive me into Des- 
pair, Death would not be so frightful to me as Philadelphia, where I would 
soon follow my Bishop. Order me to quit Conewago I will obey. I have 
quitted it many a time in my thoughts to quit it — where death or superior 
orders would summons me, but do not order me to go to Philadelphia; you 
know Most Revd. Archbishop I am not capable of the charge. I need not 
to enter into details, you know me better than I know myself; I have in- 
curred you displeasure once, I asked your pardon— you forgave me — and I 
assure you, your two letters have so affected me that you would have pity 

on me were you to see my heart. I hope you will forgive me the part of 
this Letter. It is late and I fear the mail will close before it arrives in 
Hanover. 

I have the honor to be with greatest respect and submission, (Philadel- 
phia excepted). 

Most Revd. Archbishop, 

Your Most Humble 
Servant, 

L. Barth. 

But Archbishop Carroll was unmoved by the appeals of Father De 
Barth, 'and on July 29th" he appointed Father De Barth Administrator of 
the Diocese of Philadelphia, "and to all the authority of the deceased 



ii6 

[Bishop"! until the Holy See appointed a new Bishop."— [JlftnMtes of TruS' 
tees. 1 

Father De Barth did not attend a meeting of the Board of Trustees un- 
til Nov. 2d, 1814. He continued to be Administrator of the Diocese until 
the appointment of the Rt. Rev. Henry Conwell who, in December, 1820, 
arrived in Philadelphia much to the relief of Father De Barth. * 'Father 
De Barth was repeatedly urged to accept the mitre, and was favored by 
Archbishops Marechal and Cheverus; but knowing full well the many oner- 
ous duties and cares of a Bishop, he shrank from accepting the responsibil- 
ity and refused the honor, although the Bull of investiture, as it is stated, 
had already arrived in Philadelphia. " The appointment was in 1818 re- 
(fused. Rev. J. A, Foin's Rev. Louis Barth in Records American Catholic 
Historical Society, Vol, 11, p. 35 ) 

On August 14th, 1814, the Trustees authorized the Treasurer tc pay all 
demands for expenses authorized by the Trustees for the "more decent in- 
terment of the Bishop." 

On August 14th, 1814, the Trustees wrote Archbishop Carroll that his 
^'denial of justice, and the subservency of the episcopal authority to the im- 
proper views of a few laymen, would be as fatal to religion as it was in the 
days of Henry 8th and Elizabeth." 

Archbishop replied on August 16th, and referred to the "uncivil and 
unfounded insinuations." * 'Correspondence should cease when it is no 
longer mutually respectful. His disapprobation of ''ecclesiastical democ- 
racy" meant the overbearing interference of the people in the appointment 
of pastors, for the Catholic Church will never admit the principles and 
practices of Presbyterianism" 

The Executors of Bishop Egan began suit against the corporation of St. 
Mary's Church, no doubt, on account of unpaid salary claimed by the 
Bishop. 

On November 21st, 1815, the Trustees RESOLVED that a Committee 
be appointed to employ one or more proper attorneys to detend the suit now 
pending between the Trustees and the Executors of the last will and testa- 
ment of Right Rev. Michael Egan, All voted for it except Fathers De 
Barth and McGirr. 

Councellor Hopkinson was engaged. 

The suit was not settled until March 8rd. 1817, when the Treasurer 
was authorized "to pay Father De Barth ^600, for the purpose of settling 



117 

with the executors of the estate of Bishop Egan, and tor repairs to St. Jos- 
eph's church/' How much went to executors is not stated. 

Archbishop Carroll entered into correspondence with the other Bishops 
concerning the selection of a successor to Bishop Egan, 

Draft of the letter of Archbishop Carroll, Aug. 23, 1814. 
R'ght Rev. Sir: 

The lamented death of our venerable Brother in God, the Right 
Rev. Michael Egan, Bishop of Philadelphia, on the 22d of July, has, with- 
out doubt, caused you to reflect with pain that an answer has not been re- 
ceived to our joint letter to His Holiness, written in consequence of our 
deliberation in Nov., 1810, concerning several points for the future govern- 
ment of our American Churches, and especially for filling up the vacancies 
which would certainly ensue in the Episcopal Sees. That of New York has 
been long vacant, and the same has lately happened to Philadelphia. You 
may remember and see by referring to our proceeding chapter 4, that we 
respectfully solicited the permission cf the Holy See (provided It would per- 
mit the nomination to vacant Bishoprics to be made in the U. S.)i to allow 
that nomination to proceed solely from the Archbishop and Bishops of this 
ecclesiastical province. 

No answer having been received— nothing can be done authoritively in 
this matter. Yet the condition and distraction of the Church of Philadel- 
phia require immediate attention. With respect to New York it has trans- 
pired that His Holiness, whilst a Prisoner at Savona, soon after the death 
of Dr. Cuncannon, had ic in his consideration to appoint a successor, but it 
being uncertain whether the appointm<^nt was made, no step should betaken 
in that concern till we hear from Rome. 

The case is different at Philadelphia — for the reason alleged above, and 
tho' no nomination can proceed from any person or persojs in the U. S., yet 

I deem it advisable to consult you on the propriety of recommending one or 
more subjects to the Holy See, one of whom may be approved and appointed 
to J ucceed Dr. Egan. If such be your opuiion and that of the other Bishops, 
I propose, moreover, to inform you whether in your opinion likewise, we 
may not proceed immediately on the business, transact it by letter on ac- 
count of our immense distance. The mode which appears to me the best 
suited to the present exigency is for the Bishop of Boston, the Administra- 
tor of the dioceses of New York, and Philadelphia, (for. by a singular Provi- 
dence, Bishop Egan, shoitly before his death, nominated Rev. Mr. De Barth 



Ii8 

of Conewago to be his Vicar General, and consequently, by a Bull of Bene- 
dict XIV, 1758, made with reference to transmarine dioceses, the Vicar 
General becomes as a Capitular Vicar)." 

[All in parenthesis struck out by Archbishop Carroll.] 

"The Bishop of Kentucky, when Coadjutor Bishop of Gortyna, and my- 
self to join us in choosing one,two or three persons best esteemed by us, and 
send on their names, character, etc., to Rome wit'i cur respective recom- 
mendation. 

Before, however, our choice be completed, I must request your appro- 
bation for me to consult the most discreet and experienced of the clergy of 
Pennsylvania as to their opinions concerning the persons who will appear 
to us most worth and fit to govern the diocese with advantage and restore 
its peace. 

I am most respectfully Right Rev. Sir, 

Your most obedient Servant and Brother in Christ. 

Balto., Aug. 23, 1814. 

Bishop Neale wrote in reply to the Archbishop- 

Geo. T.,Sept. 1st, 1814. 
Right and Most Revd. Sir: 

Your esteemed favor of the 23d ult, came to hand five days after date. 
The confused state of things here has delayed my answer till now. As to 
the two points on which you have requested my opinion, viz.: whether it be 
advisable to recommend one or more subjects to the Holy See, one of whom 
may be approved and appointed to succeed Dr. Egan in Pennsylvania, and, 

2d— whether it be not proper to proceed immediately on the business and 
transact it by letter on account of our immense distance. 

1 answer affirmatively to both, and I think that the disturbed and 
agitated sta^^e of the Church in Philadelphia loudly calls for an immediate 
dispatch in the business, as may possibly be. 

The mode of procedure proposed in your R'd'ces favor is, in my 

poor opinion, the best that can be adopted, because it will not only effect 
the business more speedily but also without tumult and bustle. Mr. Nesper 
being on his return to Europe, and being well disposed not only to take 
charge of our dispatch, but also to have them conveyed to their destination, 
affords us the most favourable opportunity of expediting the bu&iaess. 
Whilst we enjoy so favourable an opportunity of approaching the Holy See 



119 

and settling Church matters in America, give me leave to suggest the pro- 
priety of applying to His Holiness to furnish us with something in favor of 
the Society of Jesus, in America, which may extricate the Bishops from 
those difficulties which arise from the Ganganellian Brief. Perhaps we 
shall never meet with a better opportunity of effecting so desirable an 
object and I confide you will deem it obligatory to embrace it. 

"Xou have no doubt been fully informed of the humiliated situation of 
the City of Washington. I need say nothing about it, as the Federal Be- 
puhlican has given a temperate and just detail, not only of the destruction 
affected in the City, but also of the principal transactions that took place 
on the occasion. The British vessels are now lying at Alexandria, load- 
ing their craft with the spoils of the distressed inhabitants. Geo. Town 
is completely fortified against them and puts them at defiance. Porter, 
Rogers, and Perry with their chosen band are fixt some distance below 
Alexandria, waiting for the enemies' descent. Their situation is such as 
to afford founded expectations of completely intercepting them. 

George Town has to be singularly grateful to God for His extraordi- 
nary protection. For during the enemies' sta> and rage in the City, not 
one of tnem entered Geo Town nor injured anything belonging to it. 
Deo infinatiis gratias. All are well here. The Sisters present their 
profound respects. Be pleased to remember me kindly to the Rev. 
Messrs. Fenwick, Mertz, Marshall, Morinville, and the Gentlemen of the 
Seminary. Receive my sincerest wishes and believe me with all respect 

and esteem. 

Yr. Most Obt. H. Svt. and Br. in XT. 

Leond. Neale, Bishop of Grtna. 
Archbishop Carroll to Bishop Neale regarding successor to Bishop Egau. 

Bait., Sept. 27, 1814, 
Right Rev. Siii; 

After having received the concurrent views of those whom it was 
my duty to consult, excepting that of Bishop Flaget not yet cetoom 
hand, I have now to consult you (privately) for your vote and nomina- 
tion of the two persons whom you prefer for the See of Philad,, not con- 
ceiving ourselves confined in our choice to the Diocese of Philada. T have 
the following persons principally in my views : The Revd. Messrs. David, 
Dubourg, Hurley, and Gallitzin. As to Mr. Dubourg I have some doubt of 
the propriety of his being offered by us to the consiaeration of His Holi- 



120 

ness, he being out of this ecclesiastical province and his present station 
being that of administrator of the Diocese of New Orleans immediately 
dependent on the Pope, tho he is quite disgusted with the situation which 
probably he would willingly exchange for the Bishop of Philada., and which 
he would adorn by his talents and virtues. But there appears to me 'much 
more constancy and perhaps more prudence and more useful talents in Mr. 
David. There is in the opinion of all a great fund of capacity iu Mr. 
Hurley, but some contend that his outward demeanor requires to be 
matured by the lapse of a few more years and that his impetuosity is rather 
too vehement and uncircumspect. Of Mr. Gallitzin, for many years, I know 

but little, the load of debt which he has contracted and the uneas'nes, 
thereby produced is a serious objection. To give every information in my 
power it is proper to add that Mr. Barth, now Vicar Gen'l of the Dioceses 
has been mentioned by some as a fit person. He is certainly so in some 
respects, and in particular his firmness of mind is qualified to withstand a 
turbulent party at Philada.; but his temper is very warm; his passions sudden 
and fearless; theological knowledge too limited for the contemplated station 
without a hope of improving it, for he has been long unable to bear study 
reading, and very little writing, at least in his account of himself. One of the 
Pennsylvania clergymen is desirous of including the Rev. Ben. Fenwick in 
he nomination for Philada., and tho I am sensible of the impropriety, it 
not the improbability of removing him from New York, yet to make you 
as knowing as myself it is proper to mention him to you. 

The other half of this sheet may be torn off for your private keeping if 
you think it necessary. I can by no means agree to the proposal of placing 
Mr» McGuire at Montgomery court house and moving Mr. Raymond 
to St. Thomas'. The latter has just made himself acquainted with his pres- 
ent Congregation, settled himself amongst them, and with my concurrence 
agreed with Mr. Malave in the extent of relief he will be able to afford 
him. To undo all these proceedings immediately is to trifle with the 
Pastor and the people. I therefore cannot entertain any thought of acced- 
ing to the proposal which has been since renewed by Mr. Grassi. If Mr, 
McGuire will not suit any place below (I doubt that he will not) I am not 
found to provide for him, his obligations to those who have acted liberally, 
and charitably towards him places all the debt on his side. 

Did you ever communicate to your Br. Francis the contents of mine to 
you concerning Deer Creek and Philada. affairs. For to the best of my 



121 

memory, during his long absence in S. Mary's County, whatever was not 
communicated to himself was transmitted to you to be referred to him. 
I beg you to return my cordial thanks to the good ladies for 
their prayers and I am sorry you did not mention the arrival of Kitty 
Murray the lay sister, I hope that the good Sister Gonzaga continues 
well. 

I am Respec'y 

R. R. Sir. 
Yr. m. ob. svt. and Br. 

in Xt. 
J. C. 
Endorsed, M. R. Carroll to Bishop Neale, Sept. 27, 1814. 

Draft of Letter of Bishop Carroll to other Bishops concerning Vacancy in 

Philadelphia Diocese. 

Right Ret. Sir : 

The right Rev. Bishops and Rev. Gentlemen, who have been consulted 

about providing for the vacant Diocese of Philadelphia, conceive it to be 
their duty to look for the fittest subject and most likely to promote the 
glory of God, and the benefits of true religion, not only amongst the 
clergy of the vacant Diocese but likewise of other Dioceses, with a view 
of exhibiting their names and qualifications to His Holiness the Pope. 

The following persons have been mentioned hitherto of whom some one is 
most likely to meet the approbation of all concarned in the appointment to 

be made at Rome. 

They are Messrs. David, of the Diocese of Bardstown, and Dubourg, 
administrator of the Diocese of Louisiana. The first of these is nomina. 

ted by all consulted, and the second by Messrs. Gallitzin and Hurly, of the 
Diocese of Pennsylvania. The only objection to Mr. David is the difiicnlty 
of removing him from the good Bishop of Bardstown. He is eminent in 
prudence, constancy, ecclesiastical learning, piety, zeal for instruction. 
The talents of Mr. Dubourg are generally known, but it may be doubted 
whether it is proper to nominate him, who is out of this ecclesiastical 
province, and in an independent station, as administrator of the Bishopric 
of New Orleans, dependant immediately of the Holy See. You should 
know however that Mr. Dubourg is much dissatisfied with his situation, 
and probably would be glad to exchange it with the Bishop of 
Philadelphia. 



122 

The Rev. Mr. Gallitzm ha3 for many years lived so far distant that I 
cannot spaak with confidence of his present dispositions. He has made 
sacrifices of worldly rank and performed actions of disinterested zeal ; his 
literary and I presume his Theological requirements are considerable. But 
a strong objection to his preferment ia a great load of debt, incurred rashly 
though for excellent and charitable purposes. 

The Rev. Mr, Hurly has uncommon talents which, with more leisure, 
for improvement of them, will enable him to acquire eminence in science 
He might now be a useful prelate, but in the opinion of some will be more 
unexceptional at a more advanced period of life." 

While the prelates of the Church were counseling and recommending 
droper candidates to the Holy See, as successor of Bishop Egan, the 
Haroldites were not inactive. It has been stated that the ambition of Rev. 
Wm. V. Harold, and the cause of his discontent with Bishop Egan, was 
that he desired to be named as Coadjutor with right to succession, but 
that Bishop Egan would not consent to so nominate. 

After the death of the Bishop, however, the adherents of Father 
Harold began a vigorous movement to have him nominated as Bishop. 
The influence of some of the prelates in Ireland was brought to the aid of 
the Holy See in determining the selection of a Bishop in the United 
btates. 

Archbishop Carroll rebukes this attempt by writing an Irish Bishop 
(probably Troy of Dublin). I copy from original draft in archives of 
Baltimore. 

"The manner in which Messrs. Harold and Ryan left this country 
indisposed my R. R. B. and myself from making any mention of the former 
in our presentations for the appointment of a successor to Dr. Egan. But 
I am sure that I have not, nor 7. believe any one of my Br. Bps, has yet 
made any objection to Mr. H., though now it may be made after recourse 
has been made to secure his nomination through an irregular agency. 
Would it not be resented as a very improper interference if we, the Bps. in 
the U. S , should presume to suggest to the Holy See the persons to be ap- 
pointed to fill the vacant Sees of Ireland." 

But the death of Bishop Egan did not bring peace to St. Mary's. He 
had, a few days before his death, appointed Rev. Lewis De Barth, pastor of 
Conewago, his Vicar General. The Trustees, perhaps before the body of 



123 

the Bishop had been interred, objected to this as appears from a letter of 
Archbishop Carroll, dated July 29 ih, 1814, only a week after the burial of 
the Bishop. The appointment of Father De Barth as Vicar General gave 
him " all the authority of the deceased till the Holy See appointed a new 
Bishop." He wrote he would urge Father De Barth " to make every effort 
iu his power to heal the wounds which dissensions had made in the congre- 
gation of St. Mary's." The Trustees then moved for the recall of Kev. 
William V. Harold to be pastor, and to secure his appointment as Bishop. 
Archbishops Neale and Marechal were, as each succeeded to the Arr-h- 
bishopric of Baltimore, petitioned to call Father Harold to be pastor of St. 
Mary's or endorse him for appointment as Bishop. 

After meeting with no success by appeals to Archbishops Carroll and 
Neale, who declined exercising any authority in the Diocese of Philadel- 
phia, when Archbishop Marechal succeeded these Prelates, the Trustees 
•'at this new crisis of the Catholic Church here by the accession of anew 
head" resolved to petition Archbishop Marechal to have ''Rev. William Y . 
Harold restored to his flock." 

The petition was in the following words : — 
To the Most Rev. Dr. Marechal, Archbishop of the United States of 

America: 
Most Rev. Sir; 

As the visible head of the Catholic Church here we the Trustees of the 
Church of St. Mary's congregaf.on as their representative, humbly beg 
leave to lay before you Most Rev. Sir, our prayers and desires: We have 
been blest with a pastor in whom the great body of our congregation had 
placed their affection— the late Rev. William V. Harold, of whose presence 
they were bereft in consequence of an unfortunate misunderstanding having 
taken place between him and thoso in power. On your accession here to 
the head of the C;:urch we deem it incumbent on us, consistent with our 
duty to the congregation, to implore you, Most Rev. Sir, to make use of 
your influence to have the Rev. William V. Harold once more restored to 
the congregation of St. Marv's. 

These prayers have been humbly pressed on your predecessor but with- 
out effect, hence we are necessitated to embrace the occasion of this new 
era of our Church under your auspices, and should you be instrumental in 
obtaining our object we shall as in duty bound ever pray. 



124 

Phila. January 8th, 1818. Signed by order 

James Gartland. 

Fathers De Barth and McGirr voted against this. 

Archbishop Marechal replied on Jan. 30th, 1818, saying : ** * ou suppose 
in your letter that I have some authority in the Diocese of Philadelphia* 
This is certainly a mistake. My jurisdiction does not extend beyond the 
limits of my own Diocese. Nay, I may tell you that even when I shall 
have received the Metropolitan power I expect, still I will have nothing to 
do with the nomination of pastors in the Diocese of my suflragan brethern. 
This weighty office exclusively belongs to the Bishop of each Diocese or to 
the admininstator of it pro tempore^ in case the See be vacant. To nomi- 
nate a pastor in Philadelphia, or what comes nearly to the same, to invite 
any clergyman to go into that city and exercise in it the holy ministry 
would be on my part an arbitrary assumption of authority, and would 
expose me to certain animadversion of the ecclesiastical law. 

Be not therefore offended gentleman if according to your request I do 
not make use of the influence annexed to my office, in order to determine 
the gentlemen mentioned in your letter to come on to Philadelphia and 
reside in it." 

March 19, 1818, congregation meets and appoint John Maitland, John 
Harper, Timothy Desmond, Felix McGuigan, Bernard O'Donnell a com- 
mittee to wait on Trustees to ask that a meeting of congregation be called 
to petition for the return of Father Harold. 

April 6th, 1818, congregation meets and resolves; That it is the con- 
v^iction of this meeting that the people of this congregation, during the 
space of six years, have never ceased to deplore their loss and privation by 
the retirement of their former beloved pastor — the Rev. Wm. V. Harold, 
which loss they have never ceased to express and deplore individually and 
collectively through themselves and their representatives, the Board of 
Trustees. 

Resolved, that the distinguished talents and religious deportment of the 

Rev. Wm. Harold being impressed on our minds, and which is still fresh 
in our memory so that they never can be effaced, it is our solemn con- 
viction therefore that no greater happiness can be attached to the congre- 
gation than his return to its care and direction. 

Besolved, that as all applications to the Church authorities in this 
country for obtaining the restoration of our late pastor. Rev. Wm. V. Har- 



125 

old, has been in vain, the Trustees are requested to make direct applica- 
tion to the Sovereign Pontiff for obtaining that object. 

John P. Harper, Secretary. 
Petition to Holy See forwarded 1818. 

The following extracts from the diary of Bishop John Connelly, of New 
York, tells of steps taken to have the vacancy in the See of Philadelphia 
filled r_ 

'* October 23d, 1817. Answered Mone, Marechal's letter of 18th inst., 
informing me that he and Mons. Cheverus are for Mr. De Barth being made 
Bishop of Philadelphia, informing him that as none of the actual prelates 
of this province consulted me in this business since the Pope's acceptance 
of his (Mons. MarechaPs) renunciation of that diocese, I commissioned my 
agent at Rome to mention to Cardinal Litta the name of the person whom 
I think most worthy of that vacant See, and that as I cannot now contra- 
dict what I wrote then to s^iid Cardinal I shall write him again on this sub- 
ject by the first vessel that shall sail hence to Europe."' {Brief Sketch of 
Church by Bishop Bayley p. 70). 

That Bishop Connelly favored Father Harold appears also, for in No- 
vember, 1818, he wrote Cardinal Litta "to confer the See of Philadelphia 
on Rev. William V, Harold, since Mr, De Barth has declared publicly that 
he will not accept unless forced to do so." {ibid. p. 73.) 

Finally Propaganda replied on Nov. 20th, 1820, that Father Harold 
*'did not possess those qualities which are necessary for a Bishop and 
therefore on account of Religion he should not be promoted to that 
dignity." 

The relation of the events of the period from the death of Bishop 
Egan to the appointment of Rt. Rev. Henry Con well as his successor 
are within the scope of this contribution to Catholic American History, 
as showing the actions of those with whom he had to deal the last two 
years of his life, and who, after his death, perished in advocacy of the 
priest who embittered the life of the first Bishop of Philadelphia and 
marks him as the cause of the ruin of many, and of the loss of untold 
numbers to the Church. 

On the 2d of December, 1820, the Right Rev. Henry Conwell arrived 
in this city, invested with the authority of Bishop of the Diocese. Rev. 
William Hogan was then pastor of St. Mary's. On the next day the 
Rev. William Hogan'preached a sermon in St. Mary's Church, in which he 



126 

made a very severe and acrimonious attack on the quaudom Vicar General 
then sitting before the altar. [Address to Rt. Rev., the Bishop of Phila. 
delphia, the Catholic Clergy of Philadelphia and the Congregation of St, 
Mary's in this City. By a Catholic Layman. (Mathew Carey) 1822.] 

On December 12th Bishop Con well suspended Father Hogan. " Then 
the trouble began." Father Harold returned to Philadelphia on invitation 
of Bishop Conwell, and for yearb the Conwell-Hogan-Harold schism 
raged and ruined souls. Pride, in the name of Religion and Christ's 
Church, wrought devastation among its children so mighty that the Great 
Judgment Day alone will reveal the ruin, and the lost souls launch curses 
upon the wreckers of Faith and the despoilers of the fair robe of the 
Church. 

In the tomb at St, Mary's reposed the mortal remains of Bishop Egan, 
until March 16, 1869, when they were removed to the vault under the sanc- 
tuary of the Cathedral of 6ts, Peter and Paul. 

The following circular letter of Bishop Wood was issued on the 
occasion, 

Philadelphia, March 10th, 1869. 
Rev. Dear Sir: 

A Solemn Pontifical Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, the 16th of 
March, at 10 o'clock, A. M. on the occasion of the removal of the remains 
of Rt. Rev. Cornelius Egan, first Bishop of Philadelphia, and Rt. Rev. 
Henry Conwelse conld. Bishop of Philadelphia, to the Vaults under the 
Cathedral Sanctuary, f 

You are respectfully invited to attend, with Cassock, Cap and 
Surplice. 

I am, very respectfully, 
Your obedient servant, 
In Christ, 

James F. Wood, 

Bishop of Philadelphia. 

The name of the first Bishop of Philadelphia is given as "Cornelius," 
It is a singular fact that in the pamphlet issued in Baltimore, by Dornin, on 
the occasion of the consecration of the three Bishops that his nam is given 
as "John." 

So historical documents assign three names—" Michael," " John," and 
" Cornelius " to the first Bishop of Philadelphia, and even Dr. Shea names 



127 

him "Patrick," 

May he rest in peace. 

REMOVAL OF REMAINS OF BISHOPS EGA.N AND CONWELL, 

On Tuesday, March 16th, 1869, the remains of Bishops Egan and Con- 
well were removed to the Cathedral ; that of the former from St. Mary's 
Burial Ground, in the rear of the Church, the latter from St. Joseph's, or 
"Bishop's" Burial Ground, Passyunk Avenue and Washington Street. 

At the Cathedral a Mass of Requiem was celebrated by Rt. Rev. James 
F. Wood, D. D„ Bishop of Philadelphia ; Assistant Priest, Rev. C. J. H. 
Carter ; Very Rev. P. A. Nugent and Very Rev. M. A. Walsh, V, G. , Dea- 
cons of Honor ; Rev. P. R. O'Reilly, Deacon ; Rev. P. M. Carbon, Sub dea- 
con; Rev. A. J. McConomy and Rev. Thomas Mullen, Masters of 
Ceremonies. 

Among those present were : Rt. Rev. P. N. Lynch, D. D., Bishop of 
Charleston, S. C, Rt. Rev. Wm O'Hara, D. D. Bishop of Scranton, Pa,, 
Rt. Rev. J. F. Shanahan. D. D., Bishop of Harrisburg. 

The pall bearers of the remains of Bishop Egan were : Rev. Mark 
Crane, O. S. A , Rev. John F. Prendergast, Rev. Hugh Lane, Rev. J. J, 
Heyden, V. C. M. 

The remains of Bishops Egan and Conwell were deposited in the vault 

under the sanctuary floor. It is subdivided into 48 crypts. 

The inscription on the vault containing the remains of Bishop 
Egan is : 

MICHAEL EGAN, O. S. F. 

PRIMINUS EPISCOPUS. 
PHILADELPHIENSIS. 
SACRATUS. 
DID XXVIII OCT. A. D. MDCCCX • OBIT A. D. MDCCCXIV, 

The sermon on the occasion was delivered by Rt. Rev, P. N. Lynch, 
D. D., Bishop of Charleston, S. C. 

He spoke of Bishop Egan as follows : " Bishop Egan was consecrated 
in Baltimore by the venerable Bishop Carroll, assisted by his coadjutor Rt. 
Rev. Leonard Neale, and in his turn assisted at the consecration of the 
other Bishops. 

The years of the Episcopacy of Bishop Egan were few and for him full 
of sorrow. 

The iireligious revolution in Europe had rooted up many long estab- 
lished customs in the management of ecclesiastical affairs and the Church 



128 

seemed again j?oing back to her modes of procedure in the early days of 
persecution. But men's minds were troubled. These modes and principles 
on which they stood some did not clearly know or understand. Others 
thought that in this land of liberty these established customs should be 
maintained with such modifications as the special circumstances of this 
country required ; and they often went astray in conceiving what modifica- 
tions were allowable or consistent with the principles which must always 
guide the Church. I am here speaking of the good, of those who loved 
their religion and whose learning was at fault, or whose judgment went 
astray. Others brought personal feelings of pride or prejudice or passion to 
envenom the difficulty. Of them I do not speak. Bishop Carroll twelve years 
before had to meet and struggle against these evils, ^scarcely had Bishop 
Egan taken his Episcopal Chair when they again sprang up. On him they 
had a deep effect. He had never possessed a strong constitution. The 
years he had spent in the arduous duties of the priestly ministry had told 
on him Of a singularly quiet and amicable character, a lover of peace and 
harmony, never so happy as when he saw all happy around him and felt that 
he contributed to it ; at an age, too, when with his broken health tran- 
quility was dearer than ever. There must have been a terrible struggle 
within him as he found himself, by his most solemn duty to God and the 
Church, to withstand the ill judged or ill-advised pretensions and the at- 
tempts to wrest from his hands the reins of ecclesiastical government. He 
suffered in mind and body but he yielded not ; meek and uncomplaining he 
pursued the line of duty, hoping, striving, by his patience and mildness to 
disarm opposition and to lead all back to duty and charity. 

When alter three years and a half, he felt that death was at hand he 
welcomed it with resignation, I might say with joy. On the 22d of July, 
1814, he calmly and piously slept in the Lord. Before death he asked that 
his funeral might be simple, as indeed the troubled time of war required, 
and that no monument should be raised over his tomb. In earlier youth 
he had quitted the world — in it he was not of it— he craved not to be re- 
membered by it. His funeral took place the next day, necessarily without 
that fullness of funeral rites which the Church accords to her Bishops. To- 
day we render them. 

Very Rev. Louis De Barth, the friend and, for years the companion of 
Bishop Egan was appointed administrator. There was much difficulty and 
much delay in filling the vacant See. 

Rev. Ambrose Marechal, afterwards Archbishop of Baltimore, de- 
clined. Dr. De Ba^^h was named and declined. Rev John B. Davis, after- 
wards Coadjutor i .shop of Bardstown, in Kentucky, was named and he 
declined. Then Dr. De Barth was again urged, was appointed— the Bulls 
of his consecration were received, but he sent them back and positively 
refused. It seemed that no clergyman on this side of the Atlantic, whom 
the prelates deemed fully qualified for the position, was willing to 
occupy it. So six years passed. Under these circumstances the Holy 
See looked elsewhere and chose the Very Rev. Henry Conwell, Parish 
Priest of Dungannon and Vicar General of Armagh.'' 

So CLOSES The History of Bishop Egan. 

MARTIN I. J. GRIFFIN. 



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